Descendants of Heroes
by AtlantaJackson95
Summary: Gaia has been sent back into her slumber. The demigods have returned home. Now, they have been sent to Olympus to read a book on their future. And They will learn about their biggest challenge yet: Parenthood. Rated T for slightly detailed pervertedness.
1. Introductory Note

**IMPORTANT! MUST READ! IF NOT, YOU WILL BE HORRIBLY CONFUSED THROUGHOUT THE STORY!**

Okay. First things first. Let me explain.

This story is not the Percy Jackson series. It is of a new set of books, though these will still include Percy… cause he's a badass.

**WARNING: If you don't like Percy, don't read this fanfiction. He will be portrayed as the epitome of AWESOMNESS at every turn.**

So, since the setting of this story is after the Second Giant War is over, allow me to explain things as I suspect they will come to pass.

**First: The prophecy.**

I don't know whose last breath will be taken, so we will just say that they met this person along the way, and that person died as planned. That way I won't have to kill anyone off.

**Second: Sammy Valdez.**

I think that Leo had a friend when he was young named Sammy. After his mother died, in order to forget the pain, (His motto _is_ "move on") he changed his name and ran away, ending up at St. Agnes, where he stayed until he was thirteen. When he started to fall for Hazel, and she left abruptly, he ran away from St. Agnes. After a year of running, near fourteen-year old Sammy came across the Lotus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He decided to stay for "a few weeks."

Flash forward to the twenty-first century. Sammy discovered a lawyer taking away two kids that he vaguely recognized: Bianca and Nico di Angelo. For some unknown reason that I haven't figured out yet, he followed them out. Fascinated by the city that used to be so small, he decided not to go back in. His mind was fuzzy from being in there so long, and he strained to remember details about his past life. When he finally got them, he wanted desperately to hold on to them, terrified that they'd disappear again, and returned to the name that his mother gave him: Leo.

After running away several times and causing mass trouble in the Nevada, Leo was sent to the town of Armpit, where he attended the Wilderness school with Piper McClean.

**Third: Reyna versus Piper.**

Sorry and no offense to you Jasper fanatics, but _honestly!_ Reyna and Jason had known each other for _years,_ were _so close_ to dating, and suddenly Piper comes along and destroys everything? Uh-huh. Sure. Not to mention that Piper's crush on Jason was all from a _fantasy_, and just _days_ after meeting him, she calls dibs on him! Sounds like she's a bit more of an Aphrodite girl than we originally thought. All of that… that sounds less like _love_ to me… and more like _lust_.

So Reyna and Jason will be together.

**Fourth: Leo versus Frank.**

Honestly, I think that the better match for Leo is (please don't throw fruit at me for saying this) _Piper_. Hazel liked Sammy a lot, but _anyone _gets a crush, right? Now Frank… he wants to be Hazel's old-fashioned knight in shining armor, remember? And I think that's good, cause Hazel's an old-fashioned kind of girl.

As for Leo… he and Piper became almost inseparable at the Wilderness school, as I recall, and he doesn't treat her any different or hang out with her just because of who her dad is. I think that Piper needs more people like that in her life.

**Fifth: Latin.**

Jason had yet to understand Ancient Greek, but Percy picked up on it almost immediately. I believe it is a power of his. Before this, Percy had yet to enter a city that spoke a language other than Ancient Greek or English. When Percy crosses a body of water in one of those cities or countries, his mind becomes additionally hard-wired for that language. A useful trait for when they have to go to Italy, and Rome, to find Nico. (NO FAIR! I WANT TO LEARN ITALIAN!)

**Sixth: Achilles spot.**

I believe that Percy's Achilles spot is still sensitive to the touch, and would be more painful than normal if stabbed. He just won't die from it.

Let's see… am I missing anything? Hmm… Oh yeah!

Annabeth went on the journey. She and Percy are still dating. Percabeth is already perfection, no questions asked.

Okay… This story is called: _Descendants of Heroes_.

**Please don't get on my case for the pairings. Each person has their own opinion.**

Anything else? Oh right!

Last I checked, Rick Riordan's picture on the books looks nothing like a sixteen-year old starving artist in her bedroom, typing frantically on her computer.

Enjoy!


	2. Prologue

**One last thing. Their all seventeen now.**

**And also: Rick Riordan is not a junior in High School.**

Descendants of Heroes:

Prologue:

**Percy**

I plopped down on my bunk in the Poseidon cabin. It was all over. Finally. It was finally _all over_.

I heard a knocking on my door, but before I could let the person in, there was a flash of light, brighter than Apollo's sun chariot. I shut my eyes tight to keep from going blind.

When I opened them a millimeter, cautiously, they immediately flew wide with shock.

Instead of the Poseidon cabin, in a war-stained Camp HalfBlood, I saw the throne room at Mount Olympus, in the middle of Manhattan. Several demigods and the gods looked around, probably just as confused as I was.

I glanced at my companions. The Olympians were here, as were Hestia and Hades. Rachel and Grover were here. The demigods were a mixture of Greek and Roman.

Jason and Reyna stood tall in their Praetor's capes, with Octavian the serial-killer-in-training off to the side. Hazel gripped Frank's hand like it was the only thing keeping her from plummeting to the Underworld… again.

Leo and Piper stood next to Annabeth, all three scanning the room in shock. Nico and Thalia stood behind them, their expressions equally bewildered. When the demigods, Rachel, and Grover laid their eyes on me, they hurried over, and we all watched the gods through wary eyes.

Before World War III could break out, the light shined again, this time revealing a spiral-bound notebook and note. Luckily, the note was in Ancient Greek, or I would never have been able to read it with so many people staring at me.

_Good day to you all,_

_We are sure that you are wondering what the future holds for you all. This book is the answer. It shows the journey of the very first Legacy in Greek history. Who are her parents you ask? Well, you'll have to wait a bit._

_No killing, maiming, or smiting. The fate of the world depends on it. (As usual.)_

_That is all._

_The Fates_

When I finished reading, I glanced around at the others.

Three hours and several arguments later, Athena finally spoke up.

"All of your points are true. However, who are we to go against what the Fates decree? We must read this book, even if we don't wish to."

She waved her hand, and thirteen human-sized thrones appeared in a half circle around the hearth. After much protest—made mostly by Ares, Dionysus, and Zeus—we all got comfortable around the fire, with Hestia in the middle. Annabeth sat next to me, picked up the book, and scanned the blank green cover, as if searching for a hidden clue. "So…" she said. "Who is this girl?"

Instantly, another flash of light appeared just above my head. I looked up to see it better, and, as the light disappeared, a book fell out of it.

The bad news: it hit my face and sent me to the floor with a grunt.

After the others finished laughing, I sat up, and the book fell into my lap. I could see light seeping through the pages, and when it disappeared, I opened the front cover.

Inside was a picture. I held the album over the fire so everyone could see it.

_It was a bedroom, with large windows and a clean floor. The colors were earthy, from the walls to the bedspread. In the corner, was a twin-sized bed, a nightstand at its foot, and a 16" television with an old Nintendo 64. Against the next corner was a desk with a printer, a WiFi connector, and a radio alarm clock. Next to the desk was a bookshelf cluttered and stuffed to the brim with books and binders; the most prominent series were __The Guardians of Ga'Hoole__, the __Inkheart__trilogy, the __Harry Potter__ series, the __Hunger __Games series, and an old, tattered fifty-five book set on famous classics of the Western World, from Homer to Orwell. Next to that was a closet and a dresser with a mirror, upon which sat a red hairbrush and a black latched box, the box on top of a stack of printer paper. The box was open, so it was easy to see the art supplies crammed inside._

_Next to the bed was an acoustic and an electric guitar, and a skateboard. Above it was a shelf covered with dragon statues of all shapes, colors, and sizes, like the owner collected them._

_The walls were covered with an astrology calendar, which was opened to June, and several different posters. The Hunger Games. Rascal Flatts. Brad Paisley. Three Days Grace. Bon Jovi. Three framed T-shirts also rested on the wall. A Death to Barbie T-shirt, which sported a Barbie with an arrow through its head. A Rascal Flatts shirt with an Eagle and red-and-blue stripes with a white star on each stripe on the front. And a Brad Paisley shirt that had the singer's name, the name of his song, "Alcohol," and the name of the album, "This is Country Music," all formed into the design of a Jack Daniels label. There was also a Kingdom Hearts heartless necklace and a perfect poster-sized sketch of the General Lee taped above the headboard. _**(A.N. In case you're wondering… yes, I just described my own bedroom, though the General Lee picture was drawn by a friend. Awesome, isn't it?)**

_Sitting cross-legged on the bed was a girl about sixteen, with denim Daisy Dukes, a white tank top, black flip flops, and a silver-and-black flamed guitar necklace, all clamping around her tall-and-tanned swimmer's figure. Her long brown-with-blonde-streaked hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she stared intently at a laptop, typing frantically on the keys, while her ear buds were in, and the song "I Won't Let Go" was in large black letters on the iPod next to her. But it was her eyes that were the most shocking._

_Sea Green._ **(A.N. I suck at creating new characters. No, I'm not just incorporating myself into the story, but I actually do look like that, down to the eye color. Cool, right?)**

A gasp rang out throughout the room, and the group glanced from me to the picture and back.

Nico breathed in through his teeth, a kind of backwards whistle. "Well," he said. "I hope that one of you have relatives with brown hair. Otherwise, this book is going to be extremely awkward for Annabeth and Percy."

"My mom," I said at the same time Poseidon said, "Sally." The group relaxed, especially Annabeth. I turned the page.

Another picture on each page.

_The first showed the same girl in gym clothes—a blue t-shirt and black volleyball shorts with white sneakers—in a Phys Ed class in the gymnasium. She was in the middle of a perfect jump shot, and was lightly biting her tongue, in deep concentration._

"Okay," Thalia muttered. "So she likes sports?"

_The last picture showed the girl in an alleyway in a black-and-white plaid skirt and a pine-green tank top with shiny black converse, wielding a hunting knife in each hand. She was battling a _dracaena, _and appeared to be winning._

"And she can fight," Ares nodded approvingly. "In a skirt, too. I like her."

"Not to mention she's _hot_!" Apollo added.

I gave the sun god a _look_.

"Alright!" he sighed. "I won't go after her!"

The next page was blank, except for a note that said: _Check back later for more images_.

We all turned to Annabeth, who held the notebook in her hands. She opened it to the first page. "It's typed out in Ancient Greek." She began to read.

"**Alix I**"

**Five comments and I will upload Chapter one!**

**The actual chapters will be _much_ better than this. Believe me.**

**This is just a test. If you don't like the idea of the plotline, I can cut the story.**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	3. Alix I

**I put the laughing parts because I'm not sure whether or not you guys find my stories humorous or not. So I'm making my characters think so.**

**How you can tell when a new paragraph **_**actually**_** starts is the indentations. If there is one, it's a new paragraph. If not, the characters are commenting in the middle.**

**One last thing: I AIN"T RICK RIORDAN, PEOPLE! JUST DROP IT!**

Chapter One: Alix I

"**Alix I**"

"Is the girl's name Alix?" Nico asked. Everyone else shrugged.

**Everyone has a story. Some are good… Some are bad… Some are just plain weird…**

"Weird? Weird how?" Thalia raised an eyebrow.

**This story is borderline to all three. All we need is the theme music from "Paranormal Activity," and we got ourselves a party.**

Light chuckling rose up around the fire.

**Hi.**

**I'm Alix Jackson. **_**(A.N. My name's not really Alix. But I wish it was.)**_

**I'm sixteen and already traumatized.**

Percy and Annabeth's faces paled. True, they didn't know whether or not this was their daughter, and they hadn't even _met_ her yet. But some deep, protective instincts surfaced when she was mentioned.

**You ever heard of a demigod? If you want to say that you don't like Greek Mythology, then I'm sorry. (This isn't about who I am, but what I find interesting.) I'm going to have to shun you.**

More chuckles. "Sounds like Annabeth," Piper mused.

**No hard feelings.**

"Alright," Apollo nodded. "No hard feelings."

**If you're reading this book because you think you are a demigod… Well, I'd like to say a few things. First: Welcome to the club kid.**

**This is about as good as it gets.**

Percy chuckled. "Touché."

**Next: Either close this book, or learn to sleep with a knife. Or two. Or ten.**

"Paranoid much?" Zeus snorted.

"Look who's talking," Poseidon retorted. The demigods tried to stifle their laughter out of respect and self-preservation.

The gods couldn't control themselves as well.

**Hey. You never know.**

Zeus shrugged. "Good point."

**Third: I'm a real person. When you're done with this… **_**please**_** don't start stalking me. It's just plain creepy.**

That set off a round of hysterics. Apollo sighed.

"I was _going_ to," he muttered. "But I promised _daddy_ I wouldn't…"

Percy recoiled from the god. "_What _did you call me?"

**Now, if you just think that this is some fiction novel that you found at Wal-Mart, I just want to say: you're an oblivious mortal. I don't know **_**how**_** you could possibly think that this didn't happen.**

**Oh, and a little warning: this book may cause various monsters from the Underworld to chase you to the ends of the earth if read.**

"Just so you know," Percy chuckled.

**Just so you know.**

"Yup," Leo laughed along with the rest of the group. "She's definitely _your_ kid, Perce."

Percy flushed and smiled sheepishly, setting off another round of laughter.

**A demigod—as I hope you know—is a half-blood child of a mortal and a god. In special cases, two demigods can live to adulthood, and have children of their own. These children are called, "Legacies."**

**That's me.**

**Even as special as Legacies are, I'm still unusual. Why?**

**Because there's never been a combination like me before.**

"That's true…" Athena nodded thoughtfully. "She would be the first descendant of Athena and Poseidon _both_ in history."

"Special kid…" Jason commented.

**You see, my dad's godly parent and my mom's godly parent are nemeses. I'm the first near direct descendant of the two in history. And since that history spans over thousands of years, that's pretty significant.**

**Who are my parents? All I can tell you is that my mom is a hyper-genius, and my dad is badass.**

Percy flushed, and the room burst into laughter.

"So Percy's badass, huh?" Nico gasped. "I don't see it."

Percy stuck his tongue out at his cousin.

**Let's see… anything else you should know? Nope. If I think of anything, I'll let you know.**

**Now where to begin… How about at the beginning of every story. The birth.**

Apollo wrinkled his nose. "Ew."

"NOT THAT FAR BACK!" Annabeth and Percy screamed in unison, their faces redder than anyone had ever seen.

Apollo shrank down in his chair with fear.

"Just out of curiosity," Ares asked. "_Have _you two done it, yet?"

Their faces turned even redder, if it was possible. "NO!" _**(A.N. It is my personal opinion that two people should not sleep together until they are married. Sorry to those who don't agree.)**_

**When I was born, the Fates claimed that I would be powerful. Powerful enough to change the future of the gods. It's a good thing that they also said that if I died then this civilization would fall to ruin, or I'd be a pile of very indignant soot right now.**

All eyes turned to Zeus, who shrugged and muttered, "Probably."

**Anyways, when the gods were told this, they were worried if such a tiny thing could handle that burden. I was a pretty small child. (But don't worry. I've grown about five feet since then.) The gods decided to summon me to Olympus when I was three, and each one gave me a gift. Nothing major. Just a small, helpful additive to push me along.**

"What are they?" Annabeth leaned forward in curiosity.

"You're talking to a book," Percy muttered.

"Oh, shut up."

**What are they?**

More chuckles.

**Uh-uh. I'm not giving **_**everything**_** away so early on. I'll explain each gift when the time comes.**

**Look at that. I haven't even started the story yet, and I already have secrets. This is going to be fun.**

"Mischievous," Hermes cackled. "I like her."

**Anyways, my story starts on another boring, dull day in my boring, dull life. It was in June, a month before I turned sixteen. But **_**this**_** day ended up changing my life forever.**

"**Alix!"**

**I turned around to see my best friend, Pepper weaving through the hallway after me, and I paused to let her catch up. She stopped next to me for a second, breathing heavily. She wore a dark blue, knee-length, strapless sundress, with a silver ribbon around the waist. Her gold sandals reflected the light, and her short black hair had a streak of silver.**

**She stood up and turned her electric blue eyes on me.**

"That girl sounds like _Thalia_," Percy mused. "A girly version of Thalia, but still her."

Thalia made a growling noise in the back of her throat, and she eyed Percy angrily. He ignored it.

"**You ready for Finals?"**

"**Ugh! Don't remind me!" I made a face. "I've been cramming for a month, and I **_**still**_** don't think I'm ready!"**

**Pepper chuckled. "You'll do fine! Your mom's the most powerful daughter of Athena in history,**

"Yup," Grover nodded. "Percy and Annabeth's kid." Percy and Annabeth flushed again as the others eyed them suspiciously.

Athena glared at Percy, who held up his hands innocently. "I _swear,_" he said. "We haven't done _anything_!"

_**and**_**, unlike her, you're not Dyslexic."**

"Wait," Percy paused. "She's not?"

"Lucky!" Annabeth complained.

**Yup. That's me. Alix Jackson. Daughter of "this person." Daughter of "that person." Never just **_**me**_**. The story of my life.**

Percy sighed. "People liking you just because of how powerful your parents are? I know the feeling."

**Oh, and about the Dyslexia? It's common for a demigod to have it, because their mind is hard-wired for Ancient Greek or Latin. But that's one of my gifts. Athena gave me the "Gift of Languages."**

"What's that?" Poseidon asked. Athena shrugged. She hadn't the slightest idea.

**My brain is hard-wired for every language known to man. From Pig Latin to Gujarati.**

"Gujarati?" Percy asked. "What country speaks _that_ language?"

**(And if you don't know what country speaks it, don't ask. I haven't the slightest idea.)**

"Oh." Percy flushed as the others snickered.

**Both written and spoken.**

**And about Pepper. Pepper Grace**

Another gasp.

**is another Legacy. Her parents are the two former Roman praetors: Jason and Reyna Grace.**

Now it was their turn to blush and insist that nothing had happened yet.

**She's like an exact copy of her aunt, Thalia Grace.**

Thalia sat up at the mention of her name.

**Thalia's a… special case.**

Thalia huffed indignantly. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

**She's the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis, a group of prepubescent immortal chicks**

Several snickered.

"Prepubescent immortal chicks," Hermes snickered. "I'm _so _using that to describe them from now on!"

**following the goddess of maidens around, battling monsters and swearing off boys for eternity. I say that Thalia's unusual, because, not only is she one of the very few children of Zeus in the world—courtesy of a pact to not sire any more children that Zeus broke **_**twice**_** forty-something years ago—but she's a little sketchy about her age. She was born forty-six years ago,**

"There's my proof," Athena nodded.

"Huh?" Percy asked.

"Well," Athena tilted her head to the side. "Since Thalia was born five years before you, and Alix was almost sixteen when Thalia was supposed to be forty-six, that means that you two were twenty-five when Alix was born."

Percy and Annabeth let out sighs of relief.

**but—because of some wacky age problems having something to do with a tree and immortality—she's going to be fifteen and three hundred sixty-four days for the rest of her very long life.**

Thalia nodded in understanding. "That's what she meant. Okay."

**Thalia is Pepper's inspiration. She is **_**obsessed**_** with joining the hunters. I try to help the best I can, but… honestly… immortality just doesn't appeal to me. Who would want to stay the same way forever, as you make friends, and then watch them grow old and die again and again?**

"Definitely Percy's kid." Grover shook his head fondly. "I think that Percy's the first person _ever_ to turn down immortality."

**No thanks. I'm good.**

"**Alix? Alix!"**

**I blinked, feeling like I had just pulled my head out of cold water. "Huh?"**

**Pepper pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. "I asked if you've seen the new kid yet. The one who came here last week."**

"**Oh." I wasn't too interested in that. Pepper was interested in anything new that walked by. "No, I don't think so."**

**Pepper nodded at a spot just over my shoulder. "Well, he's right there, and he's looking at you.**

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Who's looking at her?"

"Okay, Perce," Rachel chuckled. "First: this is in the future. She doesn't exist yet. Second: _someone's _a caring daddy, isn't he?"

"Don't call me that!"

**His name is… Steven… Steven 'something...'"**

**I turned around to take a look at "Steven Something-or-other."**

Several people snorted at the name.

**Sure enough, when I did, I caught his eye, and he quickly looked away.**

**Steven was tall and tanned, with a fairly well toned body, though not a jerky beefcake like **_**some**_** people I knew (don't ask).**

"Ares' kids," Hermes stage-whispered, setting off more laughter.

**He had coffee-colored hair that hung down over his eyes. I was too far away to see what color they were. He wore shorts and a black t-shirt that said: COME TO THE DARK SIDE. WE HAVE COOKIES. –V.**

"Seriously?" Nico raised an eyebrow. "Who shops at ?" _**(A.N. I DO!)**_

Athena raised her hand.

**His Reeboks were scuffed and dirty, like he wasn't afraid to get messy to solve a problem.**

"**Well?" Pepper asked. "Any spark?"**

**I sighed. Pepper was great and all… but there was a reason Artemis hadn't allowed her to join the Hunters yet. When she was growing up, she spent **_**way**_** too much time with a mother of a friend of our families… And now she was **_**obsessed**_** with pairing a person up with their "one true love." I'll bet you can guess **_**which**_** mommy she hung out with.**

"Aphrodite," came the bored, chorused reply.

**Insert vomit on the linoleum here.**

Aphrodite glared indignantly at the book, while Percy, Nico, and Leo laughed.

"**No, Pepper," I muttered in annoyance. "No **_**spark**_**…"**

**Pepper shook her head. "You're going to have to get a boyfriend **_**eventually**_**. I mean… what do other girls have that you don't and more?"**

**I raised an eyebrow. "A normal life?"**

"Exactly," Percy nodded.

**She waved her hand dismissively. "Minor detail."**

"_Minor?"_ Percy asked.

"_**Minor?"**_

More laughter.

"Jeez, Perce," Nico laughed. "She's like your _clone_!" _**(A.N. This is the only reason I made Alix as a copy of myself. I was too shocked at how alike Percy-and-Annabeth-combined and I are. I HAD to work off of that! Sorry if you don't like these stories…)**_

**I was about to say something else, but, before I could, the bell rang. I silently cursed it in multiple languages as I headed off to Astronomy.**

**I stepped into the room just as the tardy bell rang. All of the seats were full except for one. That one happened to be the spot next to (surprise, surprise) Steven "What's-his-name."**

"Wow," Percy muttered sarcastically. "Big surprise."

"That's another thing," Hazel spoke up for the first time. "She's almost as sarcastic as you are."

"Damn," Frank commented. "That's got to be _one _sarcastic girl…"

Percy huffed.

**I sat down.**

"**Hi," he said next to me. "I don't think we've been properly introduced yet. I'm Steven. Steven—"**

**I didn't hear the rest of it because of my iPod headphones.**

"Ooh," Hermes smirked. "Rejected."

**Steven's last name was drowned out by Scotty McCreery singing "The Trouble with Girls," which is basically this song about how addicting girls are to guys.**

"Well they _are_," Percy muttered. "It's freaking annoying."

All the other guys nodded in agreement, and every female except for Thalia, Artemis, Rachel, and Hestia turned bright red.

**Yeah, I'm kind of addicted to music. So shoot me.**

Ares sat up eagerly. "Anybody got a gun?" But he sat back down at Percy's death glare.

**Mr. Reynolds passed out the Final, and I barely thought as I marked down the answers.**

**Alpha Centauri. ****Polaris. ****Dwarf Star. ****Supernova. ****Orion's Belt. ****Sirius. ****Nebulae.**

**By the time the final bridge echoed in my ears, and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turnin')" by Alan Jackson came on I was finished. I sat through "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts, and "She's Country" by Jason Aldean before everyone else finished, and I turned off my iPod to chat with Cara Stoll, descendent of Hermes and Demeter.**

"Travis and Katie," the demigods muttered in bored voices.

**I purposely ignored Steven "Still-don't-know-the-dude's-last-name."**

Everyone chuckled.

**The conversation was actually fairly interesting. Ever since "things" happened,**

"What 'things'?" Annabeth asked.

**(I'm sure you'll find out later. I don't like talking about it.)**

Annabeth continued reading after a frustrated huff.

**I hadn't been very interested in human interaction, and focused mainly on my grades and music. (On the plus side, I'm winning the race for Valedictorian by a long-shot.)**

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yes. Because that's _so_ much better than having friends."

**But, every once in a while, a person has one of those conversations that goes from what you're doing that weekend to Sexism in America. Cara and I ended up absorbed in a five-minute debate on it. Cara claimed that our nation wasn't sexist anymore, while I-being the extreme feminist that I am-argued with that.**

**Who won? I'll give you a hint. Her name starts with 'A', and ends with 'lix'.**

Percy snorted.

**I have yet to find an arguement based off of something important to me that I can't win. Don't even bother challenging me. You're setting yourself up for a serious wipe-out.**

**By the time nine o' clock rolled around, and the bell rang, Steven hadn't gotten a word out of me. And believe me. He tried.**

Percy chewed his lower lip, not sure how to respond to that one. He was trying to flirt with her, but she was ignoring him. _Annoyed or relieved... Annoyed or relieved…_

**I shoved my pencil in my bag and practically ran out of the door. I walked to the other end of the campus, as "How Strong Are You Now" by Rascal Flatts blared I my ears. My mind went on autopilot as I navigated the familiar halls of the school.**

**Left turn.**

**Dodge a couple swallowing each other.**

"Yuck," Percy made a face. "In public? Get a room or something."

**Mega yuck.**

More laughter.

**Turn into the math hallway, dodging some teachers and a principal reprimanding a stoner. Idiot.**

"Agreed," Annabeth nodded. "Idiot."

**I ended up being the first one into Precalculus. Long after I sat down and the song ended, a specific line repeated over and over in my head.**

_**What's that rule you live by?**_

_**You say tough guys never cry**_

"That's a stupid rule!" Percy complained. "As far as I'm concerned, when your situation's that bad, shedding a few tears doesn't make you any less of a man."

**For some reason, this line was bugging me as all get out. Tough people **_**don't **_**cry.**

Athena rolled her eyes. "Your pride's going to be your fatal blow."

Annabeth tapped her chin. "Maybe that's her fatal flaw…"

_**I **_**haven't cried since I was four, and I discovered that life isn't rainbows and candy. And that princesses get the short end of the straw.**

**Eh. Who wants to live their life by the double standard anyways? Girls have got to look pretty and wait patiently for "Prince Charming" to come along and save them? Forget it! Bring on the monster trucks and the ass-kicking heroines!**

Piper grinned. "I like her."

**Oh, I'm sorry. Would Madame or Monsieur prefer something in hot pink?**

Percy snickered. "I agree with Piper. She sounds awesome."

**Too bad.**

Laughter echoed around the throne room.

**The Precalc test wasn't as easy as Astronomy, but I still breezed through it. I listened to "I'm Still a Guy" by Brad Paisley while I worked.**

**Set A equals the set of X such that X is an integer between three and ten, including ten.**

"Ech," Percy wrinkled his nose. "I hate algebra."

**The elements of set A are four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.**

"What's an element?" Jason asked. When Athena and Annabeth opened their mouths to respond, he shook his head. "Never mind. I don't want a two-hour long lecture."

Athena and Annabeth huffed, and Percy chuckled and slid his girlfriend closer.

**The number of elements of set A is seven.**

**Draw a Venn diagram to represent the next set. ****The number of elements in the union of A and B is fourteen.**

**Next: Latin. With musical accompaniment on the journey there from "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry.**

**Latin was fun. Kinda hard to forget something that's a major part of your entire life. So I put on "Barefoot Bluejean Night" by Jake Owen and pulled out my pencil.**

**Theseus defeated the Minotaur. (And my dad did too.)**

**Perseus sliced off the head of Medusa. (My dad did that one too.)**

**Heracles (Hercules) killed the Nemean Lion. (Gods dang. My dad was into **_**everything.**_**)**

"I know," Percy chuckled. "It's annoying."

**Jason went on the quest to find the Golden Fleece. (Yup. What else?)**

**Heracles also carried the sky. (Check.)**

**Zeus and the gods defeated Kronos and sent him down to the deepest depths of Tartarus. (Oh, **_**come on**_**! Anything dad **_**hasn't **_**done? Jeez!)**

Percy looked thoughtful. "I've never had a normal life. Does that count?"

**Long story short, Latin was a piece of cake. With blue icing. (Uh... Never mind...)**

The demigods burst out laughing, and Percy grinned at the book.

**Last class. Phys Ed. My **_**personal **_**favorite. Though Slade Carter **_**(A.N. This name is a reference to an awesome movie. Guess correctly, and you get a virtual prize!)**_**, the school bully, likes to call it: "Break the Nerd." He promised me death-by-gym-equipment for refusing when he asked for my phone number.**

Percy scowled at the book, back in "Parent-mode."

"**Alright, cupcakes," Coach Hedge**

The Greek demigods and Jason gasped.

**ordered. "Since Alix has the highest grade in this class, and P.E. doesn't have a Final, I'll let **_**her**_** decide what you're doing today!" **_**(A.N. My gym teacher actually does this. And yes, what Alix says is based off of something I said in class, though I got it from a movie my sister made me watch with her.)**_

**The class groaned. They probably expected me to pick something they'd all seen me play, and was good at. Which meant they expected to play basketball.**

"Basketball." Percy grinned. "Nice."

**I couldn't let myself be **_**that**_** predictable. Let's go with my **_**favorite **_**Phys Ed game. Heh-heh.**

"Uh-oh," Annabeth looked warily at the book. "What's her favorite game?"

**I told Coach Hedge quietly what I wanted to play, so the rest of the class couldn't hear him. He grunted like he would love the excuse to "pummel us" with it, and trotted (Yes, I said trotted. Hedge is a satyr.) off to grab the equipment.**

**When he got back, without letting the rest of the class look, I reached into the bag, pulled a rubber ball out, and hit it behind my back as I stepped forward to face the class. I watched them sweat onto the football field for a moment, then called out in my "gym teacher voice."**

"**Alright," I called. "I don't want to hear any cries, whines, moans, huffs, or complaints when I say"—I held out the rubber ball—"Dodgeball."**

Instead, most of the demigods cheered.

**The class instantly broke into cheers. We hadn't played Dodgeball all year, and I think that the most of the kids were itching to break something. The rest of the class… well… they'd probably cower in the corner and try not to look like targets.**

Light chuckling came from around the hearth.

**Long story short: I kicked Slade Carter's cocky ass.**

Percy smirked. "He deserved that one."

The others chuckled at Percy's obvious fierce protectiveness for his daughter already.

**I'm just too fast for them to hit me, and ended up as the last person on my team several times. No matter. Just stockpile the weapons—excuse me, **_**Gym equipment**_**—**

Ares snickered. "No, no. You were right the first time. They're _weapons_." Those sentences earned him a smack upside the head from Aphrodite.

**and fire at will. Luckily, after having to deal with speedy, evil creeps from Tartarus all my life… I'm fast, and my aim is **_**deadly**_**. Insert maniacal laugh here.**

"Percy?" Leo asked.

"Mmm?"

"Your daughter scares me."

**I live along the river's edge in Nashville, Tennessee. On my pleading, of course. I never liked Manhattan. Too big and city-like.**

Percy stuck his tongue out at the book. "There's _nothing_ wrong with Manhattan!"

**Last week, my pickup truck was dropped off at the new shop down the street—stupid telephone pole came out of nowhere that one night—**

There were some snickers, but Annabeth didn't stop reading.

**so I had to cut through an alleyway. In Tennessee's version of South Bronx.**

Percy and Annabeth paled considerably.

Percy silently prayed to the Olympians around him. _Please don't let her get cornered… Please don't let her get cornered…_

**Yeah, I was cornered.**

"Shit," Percy muttered aloud. The gods who had heard his prayers sent him apologetic looks.

**Drunkard…**

Percy stared daggers at the notebook.

"**Let me go," I said, my back pressed up against the wall.**

"**Oh, come on, Sweetheart," the sour scent of Jack Daniels greeted me as the guy got too close to my face.**

Several fists clenched.

"**I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to have some fun."**

"Find entertainment somewhere else," Percy snarled.

**He pressed himself against me, and I felt his cold, slimy fingers slip up my tank top, headed for my bra strap. Asshole.**

Those who had not yet clenched their fists did so now.

"**Find entertainment somewhere else," I muttered.**

Half-hearted chuckling rose at Percy and Alix's similarities in an attempt to lighten the mood. It didn't help.

**Dammit. His drunken state made him stubborn and angry. ****Oh Styx. **

Percy's breath became labored as he tried to stay in control. It wasn't working. All the water in the room began to bubble and boil, and Poseidon had to send Bessie out of the throne room before his bubble evaporated.

**I set myself up for a fight. _If I hit here... then press on this pressure point..._**

**I was just about to start on the offense, when I saw a sillhouette at the end of the alley. It stopped and stared for a moment at the scene.**

**Now, let me tell you that I _hate_ calling for help. It makes me feel weak and defensless, and is an insult to my pride. I know it's a stupid thing to do, but I opened my mouth to tell the newcomer that I didn't need the help.**

"Don't do _that,_ Alix," Hermes snickered at Percy's pale face. "You're going to give Percy a coronary."

**Luckily for whoevers listening's sanity, it was too late. The figure came racing forward, and shoved the drunken bastard away,**

Percy let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he whispered under his breath.

**sending me toppling to the ground. I stood up and stared like an idiot as the newcomer and Mr. Jack Daniels exchanged punches.**

**I was shocked when I saw the face of my helper.**

**It was Steven "Somebody."**

Percy smiled greatfully at the book. "Remind me to thank Steven when I meet him."

Piper took the book from Annabeth on her left and kept reading.

"**Steven II**" she began.

**How'd I do? Five comments and I'll update!**

**I think that this is going to be my worst story, but please bear with me until I get the plotline going...**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	4. Steven II

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry about ****drunkard: But keep reading! You'll never believe where he'll pop up next!**

**P.S. As for me being Rick Riordan? No. Just no.**

"**Steven II**"

"So it alternates points of view?" Athena asked.

**Alix Jackson.**

**She was the only girl at school that I hadn't seduced yet.**

Percy's gaze became hard and icy, and Annabeth glared at the book.

**I liked to keep my perfect history for collecting-phone-numbers. I had wanted to use my Charmspeak**

Leo looked up, "Charmspeak?" All eyes turned to Piper and Aphrodite.

**on her several times, but she wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise.**

Percy snickered.

**No matter. I figured that I had all summer to work on her. I planned on trying again when she came to pick up her truck at my dad's auto shop the week after school got out.**

"So his dad owns the auto shop," Athena mused.

**Dad.**

"What about him?" Hazel asked.

**My parents were the whole reason I was stuck in this rat hole of a town.**

Percy huffed. "You're quite a piece of work, aren't you, Steven?"

**They claimed that there was a friend of the family that lived here that would "be a good influence on me" or something. Who said that I needed the help? I'd battled everything from clingy chicks to hellhounds before. I could take care of myself, and I was just fine. Honestly, what's the problem with dating-and-dumping? And I never even went that **_**far**_**! All I did was get the girl's number, then forget about her. It's not like the girl actually had time to take an actual **_**liking**_** to me…**

All through this paragraph, Artemis and Thalia glared at the book.

**Anyways, this was what I was thinking about as I rode my skateboard down the street. When I passed an alleyway, I heard struggling. Probably some perverted couple making out.**

Percy snorted. "Not quite."

**What surprised me was when I glanced over to confirm my suspicions.**

**At first glance, it certainly seemed like it. Some homeless-looking guy was pressing a hot-bodied, swimmer's-figured chick against the wall, and his eyes were consumed with perverted desire. His hands were snaking up her tank top.**

**But, what caught me was the fact that the girl seemed to be struggling against the guy instead of enjoying it. She wore a strangely familiar-looking olive-green tank top and blue denim Daisy Dukes. (Both articles of clothing, by the way, clamped _quite_ tightly around her figure. Mmm.)**

Percy let out a low growl from the back of his throat. "Sounds like Alix steppe out of the frying pan and into the fire."

**On closer inspection, I recognized that tall and tanned body, that long, brown-with-blonde-streaked hair, and those defiant sea green eyes that were alight with fury.**

**Alix.**

**Before I could move, she caught sight of me. Her eyes told me that she was having some kind of inner debate, then she opened her mouth to say something. From the look on her face, it looked like she was too prideful to ask for help, and was about to send me away.**

**That's what got me. In all of nmy near-sixteen years of life, I'd never met a girl so defiant. The look in her eyes was stubborn, and told me that-no matter what happened to her-she'd never go down without a fight.**

"Once again," Hestia chuckled. "It sounds like Percy."

Percy flushed, and smiled sheepishly.

**I didn't even think. I just reacted. I ran over and slammed into the drunkard, hearing the thump as Alix toppled to the cement. I dodged the guy's punches, every now and then throwing a couple of my own.**

**After a while, he finally got me. I hadn't seen a monster in months, so I wasn't surprised when the force of the punch sent me skidding several feet to the ground outside of the alleyway, in the harsh summer sunshine.**

Several members of the group cursed.

**Groggily, I sat up to see him walking leisurely towards me, a drunk and psychotic grin plastered across his sweaty face, the shadows making him seem extra-creepy.**

**He was just about to come within three feet of my leg, when Alix stepped between us. He stopped, and his leer turned to something perverted.**

Percy paled. "Alix stepped between them?"

Annabeth rested her hand on his arm. "Relax, Percy. From what we've gathered, she's your daughter, remember? I'm sure she can handle herself."

"**Now, Sweetheart," he said, "it's best to stay out of the way and not hurt that pretty face of yours."**

"**Alix, right?" I asked. "Get out of the way. You could get hurt."**

**Alix ignored me.**

Percy smirked approvingly.

**Instead, she balled her long, nimble hands into fists. "If you want to get to know me, there're some things about me that you should know."**

**She stepped forward. "First: I think creeps like you are sick, sadistic bastards that oughta be locked up for eternity. Second:"—in a blur of movement that was almost too fast for me to see, she swung her leg and knocked the guy over in a **_**perfect**_** roundhouse kick—"****don't**** call me **_**Sweetheart**_**." **_**(A.N. I DO know how to roundhouse kick! GO CHUCK NORRIS!)**_

Cheering rose up around the hearth. Percy and Annabeth looked a little relieved.

**The guy didn't answer. Possibly because he was out cold.**

Percy snickered.

**Alix turned to me and knelt down. "You, okay, dude?"**

**I got up into a sitting position, my mouth slack-jawed. She'd just knocked the guy out with an incredibly difficult move, and was brushing it off like it happened all the time! "W-why didn't you pull a roundhouse kick on him before?" I stammered.**

**She shrugged. "I was about to before you showed up. Besides, there was no elbow room. I can't go Chuck Norris on people without elbow room."**

More laughter.

**I couldn't help laughing at that. For a hot girl, she was funny, and **_**man**_** could she fight!**

Percy pursed his lips. "I'm not sure how to take that…"

**Before I could say anything else, she dragged her ten-inch black backpack from where it had been tossed against the wall, and opened it. She pulled out a small black box, inside of which were several cloths, some Band-Aids, and two small bottles of water. One bottle was labeled, FRESH, and the other was labeled, SALT.**

"Saltwater on hand," Percy mused thoughtfully. "I should make a note of that…"

**Alix set the box on the ground, poured a little water from the FRESH bottle onto a cloth, and turned back to me. It was only then that I realized that some of the punches that had connected on me had broken the skin.**

**Alix scanned my face with a critical eye. Those sea green eyes made me unsettled.**

"I know the feeling," came the reply from almost every person in the room. All of them had spoken to Percy one-on-one before. Percy flushed.

**They were both intimidating and comforting at the same time. It felt like she was reaching into my soul and extracting all of my biggest secrets to examine with a microscope and a fine-tooth comb. But, at the same time, it wasn't a **_**bad**_** feeling. Even though this was the first time we had interacted in conversation, I felt like I could trust her. She just seemed to give off that kind of aura.**

"Yet another thing that Percy and Alix have in common," Annabeth said. Percy flushed when almost everyone nodded.

**My thoughts were interrupted at the sting of the cloth on the corner of my lip. I flinched, and she pulled back slightly, muttering an apology. I shook my head. "It's fine. Just a sting. Go ahead."**

**Hesitantly, she dapped at my lip with the cloth. At first, it stung. But, after a few moments, it became soothing on my aching skin.**

"**You probably won't get a fat lip," she said, "since it's being treated right away. That scratch just above your eyebrow might leave a mark for a few weeks, but it should disappear eventually as well. As for the road rash on your cheek..." She rested the cloth on her thigh and brushed her fingers across my cheek. I shivered, but not from pain.**

Percy eyed the book warily.

Aphrodite had a different reaction. "Someone's got a crush," she said in a sing-song voice.

**I found it amazing how one girl, who could purposely be almost completely invisible and tormented at a school—so much that she drowned herself in music and straight A's—could cause so much pain in battle and, at the same time, could be so gentle with her touch.**

"Hmm," was all Percy said. His expression was too hard to read for anyone to try.

"**Poor guy," she murmured. "That looks painful."**

**I had a hard time thinking straight, with her piercing, yet also warm and comforting green eyes boring into me. I grasped at something random. "You know, we **_**still**_** haven't been properly introduced yet… I'm Steven. Steven Valdez."**

"STEVEN WHO?" came the chorused yell.

All eyes turned to Piper and Leo, who turned alternating shades of crimson.

**She started at the name. "Did you say Valdez?"**

**I nodded. "Why? Does it mean something to you?"**

**She leaned in close, so all I could see was snow and sea and ink.**

"Snow and sea and ink?" Rachel asked.

"He's describing her eyes," answered Annabeth, who gestured at Percy's sea green eyes. Percy glanced sideways at his girlfriend, before his gaze returned to the book.

"**Do you know a guy named Leo Valdez?"**

**Now it was my turn to start. "How do you know my dad?"**

**Her jaw dropped. She sat back, glancing around as if to make sure that we were alone. Then she leaned back in. I prayed to the gods that she couldn't hear my heart race. **_**Gods**_**, she was hot…**

Percy's mouth twisted into an annoyed expression.

"**My dad," she whispered, "is Percy Jackson.**

"And there's the proof," Athena said.

**I'm a legacy too."**

**I felt a flash of shock. "W-what?"**

**She didn't answer. She was back in "nurse-mode." "I have nectar and ambrosia at my house. It's just down the block. Unless you want to give Piper a real scare when you get home…"**

"Yup," Nico chuckled. "Piper and Leo." Said demigods blushed again.

**She stood up and held out her hand. I took it and she helped me up.**

**Alix bundled her stuff back in the black bag, slung it over her right shoulder, and led the way back through the alley, stepping over the drunkard as she went. She moved at a quick pace, which seemed to be involuntary, so I had no choice but to grab my backpack, my skateboard, and follow.**

**Three blocks away was a tan-colored house with a basketball hoop hung over the garage.**

Percy grinned at the words, "basketball hoop."

**Alix moved straight to the front door, unlocked it, and opened it. As she stepped inside, she called out, "Dad! I'm fine, but bring the first-aid kid into the living room! The New York one!"**

"Meaning the one for demigods," Demeter guessed.

**There was some thumping in the kitchen, and the sound of cabinets opening and closing. Alix dropped her stuff by the front door, indicating that I should do the same. I shut the door behind me and followed her into the living room.**

**The house was fairly clean, apart from a skateboard, a basketball, and a black drawstring bag with our school's insignia on the front by the back door. I sat down on the couch, and she sat down on the coffee table in front of me.**

**I opened my mouth to say something, but, before I could, a man walked into the room, carrying a white box.**

"And enter Percy," Annabeth chuckled.

"**Steven," Alix said, "this is my dad. Percy Jackson."**

**I struggled to keep my jaw from dropping. **_**This**_** was Percy Jackson? He didn't look like much.**

"Hey!"

**Yes, he was quite physically fit for a forty-year old man. He looked more like he was in his late twenties or early thirties. But still… **_**This**_** was the guy who battled several giants and titans single-handedly?**

"I didn't battle them _single-handedly…_"

"Yes, you did, Seaweed Brain."

_**This**_** was the guy who had been the most experienced of the seven who stopped Gaia? **_**This**_** was the most famous demigod in both Greek and Roman history? No way! He looked so… so… **_**normal**_**…**

"I try!"

Chuckles rang out at Percy's purposefully overly-cheerful outburst.

**Mr. Jackson**

Percy made a face. "Mr. Jackson…" he mumbled in annoyance.

**smiled at me. A friendly smile that would make even the god of paranoia trust him. There was a permanent teasing sparkle in his eyes, a sort of mischievous gleam that would make any sane mother dub him as a troublemaker. He looked quite a bit like Alix. Same green eyes. Same broad shoulders. Same trustful smile. If it wasn't for Alix's brown hair, I would have said that she was his female clone.**

All eyes moved between Percy and the picture in the album, before nodding in agreement.

"**Nice to meet you, Steven." Mr. Jackson's voice was smooth and friendly. "I've heard about you from Leo and Piper. Sounds like you're quite a trouble maker." He smirked with amusement, as if he knew something about that that I didn't. I had to admit, he must have gotten the sterilized version of the story. **_**Quite a trouble maker…**_

**I nodded. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Jackson."**

**He wrinkled his nose as he handed Alix the box. "**_**Please**_** don't call me Mr. Jackson! It makes me sound... **_**old**_**… If you need to, call me Percy."**

"Sounds like you won't change much," Grover chuckled along with the rest of the group.

**I nodded again. "Alright."**

**He leaned back against the doorway and surveyed me in that same unsettling way that Alix had. I tried to ignore him. After all, he was just being a dad: I was a guy, and I was struggling to keep my gaze from dipping lower than Alix's collarbone. And I knew that he could tell that, too.**

Percy pursed his lips, trying to remain in control. It was working, but just barely.

**Alix poured a bit of nectar onto a new cloth, and continued to dab at my lip, explaining to Percy what had happened as she worked. This time, I could feel the wound beginning to close. I studied Alix again.**

**Her long ponytail was tucked up in a black baseball cap that had LAS VEGAS written across the front in clear plastic jewels. Her eyes had the same permanent mischievous sparkle as her dad, though there seemed to be an air of intelligence behind them.**

"From Annabeth," Percy guessed.

**She had on a red-and-black waterproof sports watch on her left wrist and a spare elastic hair tie on her right. Around her neck was the standard Camp HalfBlood bead necklace, though I probably didn't recognize it before because the part that had the beads was tucked into her tank top. As she leaned forward, it partially fell out of her collar so I could see sixteen beads. She also had on a silver chain that was also tucked into her tank top—though I couldn't tell what was at the end—and a silver necklace with a black-with-silver-flamed guitar pendant. It was slightly rusted, as if she had worn it every day for the past sixteen years. Her full lips and long eyelashes made her seem almost innocently dainty, which she was anything but. She wore no makeup except chap stick, and she didn't need it. Her face was perfect the way it was. She was tanned and athletic, proof that she spent every day training. And when I strained to see through the mist, I noticed that she had a double sheath for hunting knives on the right side of her belt.**

"So she uses hunting knives," Artemis nodded approvingly. "Good choice."

"**Do you use hunting knives?" I asked, nodding to her belt.**

**She glanced down, then back up at my face, wiping the nectar gently across the road rash on my face. I tried to focus on what she was saying, instead of on her touch. "Among other things. I also can use a bow and arrow, which is pretty good considering—thanks to Dad's stupid genomes—I should suck at it."**

"It's not my fault!"

"**It's not my fault!" Percy complained from the doorway, getting his voice to hit just the right pitch so he sounded like a pouting six-year old. The only reason I didn't believe it was the teasing smirk on his face. "Blame Poseidon for making all of his descendants stink at it!"**

**We burst out laughing. When Alix caught her breath, she continued. "Anyways, I can also use martial arts, as you saw in that alleyway. And I'm not too bad with a simple hand gun. But, being the daughter of my dad, my **_**real**_** talent is—" she cut off, pausing for a second. Then she shook her head. "Never mind."**

"A sword," Percy said with certainty.

**I wondered what she was about to say. Spear? Javelin? **_**Bazooka?**_

"Since when do I use a _bazooka_?"

**Whatever it was, I guessed that I'd have to find out.**

"**So," I drew out the 'o' for much longer than necessary. "Do you have a mom?"**

**Alix rolled her eyes. "**_**No…**_** I'm a clone. I was born in a laboratory, and started out as an amoeba."**

"She sure likes sarcasm," Piper chuckled before continuing.

"**You know, you sure do like sarcasm."**

More chuckling.

**She rolled her eyes. "My mom's in Italy overseeing the finishing touches on a project of hers. She's an Architect."**

**I nodded. "I remember. Her name is Annabeth. Right?"**

Annabeth imagined what it would be like to marry Percy. She had to admit, it didn't sound like a bad life.

**Alix chewed her lower lip, almost like she hated it when her family was recognized. "Yeah. That's her. Since there aren't any Drachmas in Italy, I haven't talked to her since she left."**

"**When was that?"**

**"My thirteenth birthday."**

"What?" Percy yelled. "But she's almost _sixteen_ now!" His face was pale. Annabeth shrugged helplessly.

"**What?" I couldn't believe it. "You haven't seen your mom in **_**three years**_**?"**

**She nodded. "Can we change the subject? It's kinda touchy here." She turned to glance worriedly at her father.**

Percy shifted uncomfortably, wondering what was wrong with him. He could guess, and his assumption made him pull Annabeth closer.

**I followed her gaze. Percy Jackson was staring ahead of him with a distant look in his eyes. He was absently twisting the silver band on his finger,**

"A wedding ring," Aphrodite cooed. Percy rubbed his finger where the ring _would_ be thoughtfully.

**and seemed to not notice us.**

**Alix looked like she was really upset, but she held her composure, most likely for her father's sake.**

"Well," Percy said, "I don't need it _right_ _now_, but thank you."

**She stood up and rested her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. I had to admit, Alix seemed close to her father, more like a younger sister than a daughter. Percy must have been really out of it, because he jumped when her hand touched his shoulder. He gave her a weary look, then took the white box and went back to the kitchen.**

**I shifted uncomfortably. "Um…"**

**Alix sighed. "He's fine. You get a little distant when you don't see your significant other for several years. Especially since we have no way of knowing whether or not my mom is alive…"**

Percy's face went deathly pale, and he pulled Annabeth into his lap and buried his face in her neck. Athena looked like she wanted to object, but… seeing the way Percy shivered at the thought of Annabeth dying… the goddess decided to let it pass.

"**I'm sorry."**

**She gave me a hard look. "I know that you mean well, but you should know: I **_**detest**_** sympathy. Please don't give it to me." She stared out the window. "Sympathy won't bring her back…"**

Percy's arms around Annabeth tightened.

**I wasn't sure how to answer that. Her eyes were hard to read, but they carried weariness well beyond her years.**

A muffled sigh could be heard from Percy. "She shouldn't have to worry about that. Stupid demigod-life…" No one answered, because no one could argue.

**I stayed silent, waiting for her to return to the present.**

**Like the flick of a switch, the weariness disappeared, and Friendly-Alix returned. "So," she said, "have you read any good books lately?"**

**I wrinkled my nose. "I don't read much."**

**She shook her head in exasperation. "You're missing a lot. They're really good." She chuckled before adding, "I could give you a list several pages long of must-read books."**

**I smiled. "We'll see about that. I'm pretty hard to impress."**

Percy looked up. "She impressed him today, didn't she?"

"**I impressed you today, didn't I?"**

"Oh," Percy flushed, much to the laughter of the group. Having calmed down some, he slowly let Annabeth go, and she sat on the floor next to him and planted an understanding kiss on his cheek.

**I didn't answer, but the look on my face was probably all the affirmation she needed. She smirked triumphantly. "I thought so."**

**I tried to change the subject. "What does your dad do for a living?"**

"**He teaches Marine Sciences for Dyslexics at the college downtown. Mostly Biology and such.**

"That's actually a good idea," Percy mused. "I think I _will_ do that…"

**Being the son of his father, he's like a walking Aquatic Encyclopedia. It's definitely helpful with my Zoology homework."**

More laughter.

**I laughed again. Then Alix glanced back out the window. "It's getting late. You should probably be getting back home."**

**I looked down at my watch. The tiny digital numbers read: 5:38. "You're probably right. If I stay any later my parents will ground me for life." I followed her to the door, picking up my stuff on the way there.**

**She opened the door and let me out. I stepped outside, but, before she could close it, I called her name.**

**She raised an eyebrow quizzically, indicating that I should continue.**

**I swallowed. With all of the phone numbers I've collected, I'd never done this before. "Th-there's a coffee shop two blocks down from my dad's auto shop. You could tell me about the books you like there tomorrow…"**

"Is he asking her out?" Aphrodite squealed. Percy didn't look so excited.

**She leaned nonchalantly against the doorway. "Steven, I've heard of your reputation. How do I know you're not just trying to get another phone number?"**

"**Because I don't **_**want**_** your phone number. I just want to meet up for coffee. I've actually never tried anything more than phone numbers before…" I trailed off. **_**Too much, Steven! Too much!**_

**She stared at me for a moment. I tried not to shift under her piercing gaze. Finally, she said, "Noon tomorrow. Don't be late, Valdez." Then she shut the door in my face.**

Percy snickered.

**I stood there for a moment, then turned and headed numbly for home. I'd heard the rumors about her as well. Alix had been asked out before, but she had turned every guy down. She was the most distant kid at school, the one who got the best grades, and the one who always wore sweatshirts from the Swim Team unless it was too hot out.**

"I wonder why she's so distant," Athena questioned aloud.

"It's probably that 'thing' she mentioned last chapter," Percy guessed.

**Of course, when she **_**didn't**_** wear sweatshirts, every guy agreed that she was probably the **_**hottest**_** girl at school. She had a couple scars running across her arms, which only served to better her appearances. And with this new revelation that she was a demigod as well, the scars could be explained. I figured that **_**that**_** explanation was much better than the teachers, staff, and parents' beliefs that she was domestically abused, which—apparently—was the explanation for her sweatshirt-life.**

Percy snorted in annoyance. "Domestically abused," he muttered disbelievingly.

**(The adults' beliefs certainly explained why I'd seen so many police cars come to this part of town whenever Alix got a new scar. I guess that they were never able to convince her to rat her parents out.)**

**I had to agree though. The scars only made her more interesting-looking. I glanced back towards her house, trying to believe my luck. It may or may not have been a date, but **_**still**_**. I was going for coffee with the hottest girl and the girl with the most mysterious and secretive life at **_**school**_**!**

**And if when I got home my parents asked me why I was smiling to myself… Well, that's **_**my**_** business, ain't it?**

"I suppose," Percy muttered.

Piper chuckled. "I think that the protective-daddy-Percy is kind of cute…"

"Don't call me that!"

Piper passed the book to the next person in order of the circle, which happened to be Leo.

Leo opened the book to the right page and cleared his throat. "**Alix III**"

**Five comments and I'll update! The chapter's already half done!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**

**P.S. I'm not dead with my other stories. I only get fifteen minutes on the internet on weekdays at school, and the chapters are long. Please bear with me.**


	5. Alix III

**Hey guys!**

**So first: about the scene with the drunkard in chapter one: sorry if it's...explicit. I was trying to get it to the point where Alix was scarred for life. It's actually important to the storyline.**

**Also: No, I'm not vain. I do not consider myself good-looking. Even though I said that Alix was very good-looking and I based her looks off of me. I just made it that way for a better story.**

**P.S. I'm not Rick Riordan. Why can't you people just drop it?**

"**Alix III**"

**The end of the world started when I dreamed about my mom being MIA.**

Percy sat up straight at the mention of Annabeth.

**I saw myself at four, watching from the window as my parents battled each other with a sword and a knife.**

"So, we're training," Annabeth guessed.

"No duh."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain."

"**Come on, Seaweed Brain!" mom called. "Don't tell me you're out of practice!"**

"**Who's out of practice?"**

Thalia wrinkled her nose. "Quit flirting. It's nauseating."

Annabeth smirked. "Hey, Thalia."

Everyone turned to face her, and Annabeth—much to Thalia's horror—stretched over and kissed Percy very un-platonically.

Athena glared at her rival's son, but he was a little too distracted to notice. When Annabeth finally pulled back, Percy looked _extremely_ dazed… and possibly a little drunk…

**I held on to the memory of mom's voice. Light and teasing and full of affection. She was as beautiful as I remembered her,**

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "She thinks I'm beautiful?"

Percy leaned over to whisper in her ear, quiet enough that no one else could hear them. "You _are_." Annabeth flushed, but her smile showed that she was pleased.

**with long, curly blonde hair pulled into a ponytail like mine, and intelligent gray eyes. We had the same athletic figure, and the same fighting style. Fierce, yet guarded, like an expectation that every move the opponent made was a fatal blow. Her shiny white grin was excited and adventurous.**

**As I watched, mom caught dad's blade with her knife, and they were at a stalemate. Dad obviously had more upper body strength, thanks to male-versus-female genetic coding. I could tell from mom's expression that she knew that. It would only be a matter of time before she couldn't hold out anymore.**

Poseidon smirked at Athena, which didn't go unnoticed by his son.

"I wouldn't celebrate yet, dad," Percy said. "You have no idea how many backup plans Annabeth has for her backup plans…"

Several demigods snorted in agreement. Annabeth huffed, and Percy—chuckling—slid his arm around her waist and kissed her hair.

**So she played her trump card.**

"And I'm going to lose," Percy sighed. Poseidon muttered something intelligible.

**When she kissed him quickly, dad seemed to get a little dazed for a moment. That moment was all the time it took for mom to knock him to the grass, with the blade of his own weapon pointed at his undefended chest.**

Percy huffed. "That's cheating!"

"All's fair in Love and War."

**He gave her a good-natured scowl. "Cheater."**

**Mom smirked triumphantly. "All's fair in Love and War."**

"Sounds like you two won't change much," Rachel snickered.

"**You know I don't like Shakespeare."**

"**Too bad, Seaweed Brain. I'm going to quote him if I want to." She sheathed her knife, stuck the tip of his sword in the ground, and held out her right hand. "Need some help?"**

**He rolled his eyes, but took the offered hand. Strangely, he used his left hand instead of his right. Of course, that mystery was explained quickly. When he stood up, instead of letting go of her hand, he used it as leverage to pull her to him. She tried to pull away, but he wrapped his other arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her laughing mouth. "Fine. But I **_**still**_** think you cheated."**

Percy smirked. "I agree with my future self. You still cheated."

Annabeth stuck her tongue out at him.

"**Whatever helps you sleep at night, Percy." But she shifted the hand that was still held in his and laced her fingers through his.**

**They looked so carefree, I had to remind myself that she was MIA.**

Percy's grip on Annabeth tightened at the reminder. She rested her head on his chest to remind him that she was _right here_. He relaxed slightly. But only slightly.

**The four-year old me ran out the door, shrieking, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Can you show me how to fight like that?"**

**Dad chuckled and let go of mom to kneel down so he could look the younger me in the eye. She barreled into him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck, and he leaned backwards with an exaggerated grunt.**

Hera smiled. "You sound like a good father, Percy." She nodded approvingly.

Percy, so unused to praise from Hera—who hated him—could only say, "Uh, thanks?"

**The little girl giggled, and dad smiled.**

"**Why don't you wait until your older, Alix?" dad said.**

"**I'm going to be older next month! I'm going to be five!"**

Piper giggled. "She sounds like a cute kid."

No one tried to argue.

**Dad laughed. "Still not quite old enough…"**

"**How long?" four-year-old-me complained with a pout.**

"**Wait until you're at least seven," mom chimed from behind dad. "That's how old I was when I first started fighting."**

**Alix huffed and crossed her arms. "But I want to fight, **_**now**_**!"**

**Dad pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh again.**

**Alix held her sulking pose for a moment longer, then ADHD and a child's attention span won out, and she straightened. "When can we go to camp?"**

"**The summer additions should start arriving tomorrow," dad said. "We'll go then. It's not like we live very far away."**

**That's right. We didn't move to Tennessee until I was nine, and dad was offered a better job at the college…**

**Four-year-old-me nodded eagerly and raced into the house… probably to pack. Dad stood up and followed until he got to the back porch. He slipped Riptide into his pocket and turned around to lean against the wall.**

**I stepped out onto the porch for a better point-of-view, and mom hopped up to sit on the railing. She wore jean shorts and a gray Old Navy t-shirt, and looked more like a college girl than a near-thirty year old woman. She reached forward and caught dad's blue t-shirt, pulling him forward. He smiled and complied, resting his hands on her hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed. "Percy, what are we going to do? I'm not sure that Alix can handle that prophecy…"**

Percy sat up straight. "Prophecy?"

Rachel shifted uncomfortably. "Nothing _I've_ gotten… Yet..."

**Dad opened his mouth to speak, but mom cut him off before he could get a word out. "And don't say that it might not be about her. She's the only descendant of both Poseidon and Athena in history. So unless you've been sleeping around with my siblings…"**

Percy snorted indignantly. "Do you really think that?"

Annabeth chuckled and shook her head.

**I tried to hold back a snort as dad raised an eyebrow indignantly. "Now you're making wild accusations," he muttered. Then he sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "Annabeth, a lot can happen in twelve years…"**

**She raised an eyebrow. "What? You want **_**another**_** kid?"**

Percy's face paled considerably. "I'm good."

**Dad pursed his lips. "No, no. I'm good. One is enough."**

**Mom smirked. "I thought so."**

**He rolled his eyes. "Look, we'll figure it out, okay? We always do. And if Alix runs into something she needs help with, we're right here to lend a hand."**

**She sighed, smiling fondly. "Do you **_**have**_** to always ruin my bad moods?"**

"**It's part of my job description. It comes with the ring."**

Percy and Annabeth flushed, and Percy continued to rub his ring finger absently.

**She giggled and closed the distance between them. I thought back to the times when I used to walk in on my parents kissing and yell teasingly, "Ahh! Parental Displays of Affection! It burns!"**

Chuckles turned to hysterics as Percy stuck his tongue out at the book.

**Now, I would have given **_**anything**_** to have dad chase me down to the sidewalk and pick me up like a sack of potatoes for saying that.**

Aphrodite cooed.

**The scene of my parents from back when my life was perfect disappeared, to be replaced by a cluttered apartment. The floors and tables were piled high with books and Architectural drawings. Asleep on the couch—a book still in her hand—was the same woman I had seen just moments before, when she was kissing my dad.**

Percy drew in a sharp breath.

**It was mom.**

Annabeth's brow furrowed. "Is this past, present, or future? The answer would make a big difference on whether I'm alive or dead."

**I tried to call out, but my voice wouldn't work. I stared wide-eyed at the person whom I'd not known whether was alive or dead for the past three years. The only question that replayed over and over again in my mind was: **_**Is this past, present, or future?**_

No one bothered to tease Annabeth on how alike she and her daughter were. They were too engrossed in the story.

**As I watched, mom stirred and stretched, her camouflage t-shirt stretching to reveal a well-toned torso. She wore the same jean shorts that she had in the previous dream, and a pair of shiny black converse. Her hair was down, and reached the small of her back, curling and twisting into a tangled blonde curtain. She still had the same athletic figure, and the same stormy gray eyes.**

**She tossed her book on the coffee table and got up tiredly, rubbing her eyes with exhaustion. As she stood up—though it may have just been my hyper-active brain making things up—the air seemed to shimmer in front of her.**

"Shimmer?" Athena asked.

**Considering mom's gaze focused warily on the shimmer, I guessed that it wasn't my imagination. (I'm a modern Holmes, aren't I?)**

Apollo nodded. "Yes you are. Definitely."

"We've been hanging out with Percy too much if we're _this_ sarcastic," Thalia muttered.

**The air continued to grow denser, until a bright silhouette appeared, and quickly transformed into a person.**

**A woman, to be exact. With hair as blonde as spun gold, and eyes more golden than Apollo's chariot on the summer solstice. She was tall, taller than mom. She wore an Ancient Greek chiton. Curiously, she seemed almost… ghost-like. She was definitely there, but… not quite solid and substantial. Only her eyes were bright and piercing and real.**

The group shivered at the mental image.

**I had absolutely no idea who she was, but mom stepped forward, and her gaze went from tired to angry. "**_**You!"**_

All eyes turned to Annabeth, who shook her head. "This is twenty-five years into the future, remember? I don't know who the woman is."

**The woman smiled, but it wasn't a warm smile. It was amused, like she thought it was a cute idea that mom could do anything to her, hatred or not. "Hello, Annabeth. My, it's been so long, hasn't it? What was it… almost fifteen years now?"**

**Mom's fists clenched. "What do you want?"**

**The woman **_**tsked**_** a few times, like reprimanding a child. "Now, that's no way to treat a guest. Don't you want to know how your daughter is doing?"**

"Now, that's a low blow," Poseidon growled. "Playing with her emotions like that."

**Mom's eyes flooded with pain. "What more do you want?" she whispered in a quivering voice. "I did what you said. I left by the time she turned thirteen.**

"Wait," Annabeth said. "I was _forced _to leave?"

**It's been killing me, being away from everyone for so long. Especially Percy… After all, he's the only one who knows the **_**real **_**reason I'm out here… I'm sure that he's just as torn as I am…" she trailed off for a moment, then continued. "Why do you want to tell me anything? That's about as **_**pathetic **_**as waving a carrot in front of a starving rabbit's nose, just out of its reach…"**

**I couldn't believe it. Mom was **_**forced**_** to leave? It wasn't of her own accord?**

The members around the hearth were just as dumbstruck.

**The woman smiled, though it was more of a leer. "Exactly. But you know, there **_**is**_** a way to see your friends and family… If you join me, I will spare each and every one of them."**

Annabeth snorted. "Not likely, if you're as bad as you sound."

**Mom looked defeated, and for a moment, I was afraid she'd except. Then, she stared up at the woman in a way I recognized from descriptions dad had told me about myself. An expression that showed that mom wasn't going to accept an easy answer. Even if it meant getting in serious trouble. It was a trait of mine and mom's that dad had once told me he liked best about my mother.**

Annabeth flushed. "Really?"

Percy pursed his lips, his face equally red. But he nodded slightly, all the same.

"**Go to Tartarus," mom snarled.**

Hermes grinned. "Feisty. Percy, you made a good choice."

"You know to be honest… I'm not sure whether to thank you or feel threatened by you…"

**The woman sighed. "Oh well. I tried. So… how about this…"**

**She waved her hand, and a circle of golden light appeared, the center swirling into an image. I had enough time to wonder if she could teach me how to do that (it would come in handy with surfing the internet)**

Hermes cheered for his invention.

**before I recognized the image.**

_**It was me, just a few months ago, weaving through the halls at school. My Swim Team sweatshirt was on, and the hood was up. The cord from my headphones trailed from my hood to my sweatshirt pocket. My head was down, and I was trying not to call too much attention to myself.**_

"_**Hey, Jackson!" a high-pitched voice called from behind me. I stopped, but I didn't turn around.**_

"_**So," Sandra Jones sneered, her face covered with enough makeup to choke a clown. "How's your mom doing? Oh, that's right! Your mom hated being around you so much that she left to go hook up with Italian guys!"**_

"What?" Annabeth shrieked. "That's not true!"

"**What?" mom asked. "No! That's not true!"**

_**I visibly flinched, and my hands clenched into fists.**_

_**Sandra noticed my fists, and smirked with victory. "Has your dad run out of alcohol yet? Is that why you have to buy clothes from hobos?"**_

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Since when do I drink?"

"Since you turned twenty-one?" Rachel guessed.

Dionysus smiled. "I like you much better now."

"How long have _you_ been paying attention?"

"I haven't, Pedro! Whatever would make you think something as preposterous as that?"

**Mom's eyes widened. "What?"**

_**I didn't move or look up, but my voice rang out loud and clear through the laughter in the hallway. It was hard and controlled, the way it is when my parents or I are trying not to get angry. "My dad doesn't drink, Jones.**_

Percy relaxed, and Dionysus glared at him. "I take it back."

_**However, I must say, I'm quite surprised that you can even **_**speak**_**. What with wearing so much perfume that you can't take a breath without choking. Oh, well. At least others can run away from you. You have my condolences."**_

Some snickering.

_**Sandra's lip curled into a sneer. "You, know what **_**I**_** think, girly? I think that your mom **_**didn't**_** leave… Being around you drove her to **_**kill**_** herself! Your dad just hid the body before you found out. Did you—by any chance—check inside the walls?"**_

Percy and Annabeth's expressions openly displayed their horror.

"**No!" mom shrieked. "That's not what happened. Alix, don't listen!"**

_**I slowly raised my head, and everyone in sight of my expression scrambled backwards. My face was expressionless, but my fists were clenched, and my body was stiff. That kind of combination only happened when I or my parents were absolutely **_**furious**_**…**_

Percy snickered. "Sandra's gonna get it now…"

_**I remember this moment clearly. I had tried to control myself, but everything died away, and I lost the will to think. I had heard a roaring in my ears.**_

Percy nodded. "Same for me when I lose my temper."

Nico shook his head. "You can't lose what you never had."

Much to the laughter of those listening, Percy stuck his tongue out at the son of Hades.

_**There was a blur of movement, and a slam. When the movement slowed, I saw my furious self, hood fallen down to reveal my back-length ponytail, with my fists clenching handfuls of Sandra's designer jacket. Sandra's back was pressed against the lockers and her eyes portrayed absolute terror.**_

The group started to cheer.

_**Quickly, she regained her composure, and sneered at me. Her hand rose to slap me, but I caught her wrist and twisted it around, slamming her face-first into the lockers.**_

"_**TAKE IT BACK!" I screamed, hysterical. "TAKE IT BACK!"**_

Percy winced. "That's not good. If she's anything like me, then it'll take a lot to stop her when she's mad enough to be hysterical."

Annabeth winced at the memory of Percy fighting the Minotaur and his army the second time.

_**After some commotion, the principal came and tried to pry me off of her. I fought out of his grip and tackled her again, my fists flying, my screaming repeating, over and over. "TAKE IT BACK! TAKE IT BACK! TAKE IT BACK!"**_

_**Finally, six members of the football team were able to restrain me. Not easily, of course. I struggled against them, saltwater tears staining the dust on my cheeks, mixing with my rage. My screams continued to echo around the hall as Sandra cowered against the cold metal lockers.**_

There wasn't a soul in the Throne Room that didn't feel sorry for Percy and Annabeth's daughter.

**Mom's eyes welled up, and her gaze was complete and undisguised pain and guilt.**

**The woman waved her hand, and the scene abruptly changed. (She can change channels? Cool!)**

The sadness changed to chuckling.

_**I saw our house, in the early afternoon on the same day. Dad was sitting cross-legged on the couch, reading a book that I had suggested for him: **__**Ender's Game**__**.**_

Annabeth pretended to gasp. "You were reading a _book_?"

"I'm doing that now!"

"No, you're listening to one because you _have_ to."

"…Touché"

"I guess, Annabeth," Rachel snickered. "That being _married_ to you for over sixteen years makes a person more comfortable with books…"

The arguing couple promptly shut up, red-faced.

**Mom drew in a sharp breath at the sight of dad.**

_**The door opened and slammed shut, and I stumbled in. Dad took one look at my expression, and was on his feet, his eyebrows scrunched together with his worry.**_

_**I numbly handed him the suspension slip. He read it quickly, having gotten extremely used to reading with his Dyslexia from having that ring on his finger for eighteen years.**_

"Ohh," Thalia snickered along with Rachel. "So it was for _eighteen_ years…" Percy and Annabeth's faces got even brighter red.

_**Finally, he looked up at me and asked. "What happened?"**_

_**That did it. You could see in my eyes as everything rushed over. I collapsed, and my dad caught me before I could hit the ground. Saltwater stained his black t-shirt as I sobbed, "Why? Why did she have to go? Why?"**_

_**Dad's eyes softened, and he held me, stroking my hair, which had come undone in a long, tangled curtain. "She'll be back, Alix. Don't worry. She'll be back."**_

"_**How do you know?" My voice was muffled and shaking with my tears.**_

"Because I know you," Percy smiled down at his girlfriend.

_**Dad smiled wryly, but it was clear that he was just as upset as I was over mom leaving. "Because she hates leaving things temporary," he answered softly. "Whether it's a building in Italy, or a life in Tennessee, she builds things permanent. It's the way she is…"**_

Annabeth shifted uncomfortably. But everyone could see that she didn't argue. Percy, however, was nodding in agreement with his future self.

"Hey, Perce," Nico teased. "I like your current answer better. It sounds less intelligent."

Percy huffed.

**The image disappeared. The woman held out her hand to mom. "Well? You can stop their pain if you end this now."**

**Mom stared daggers at the woman. "If you think a daughter of Athena would be that **_**stupid**_**, think again. Your goal is to **_**kill**_** them, not help them."**

**The woman sighed. "Very well. I tried. I suggest you hold on to those memories of them, Annabeth Jackson.**

The demigods snickered at the name, and Annabeth and Percy flushed.

**You won't see them again."**

**The woman waved her hand, and there was a flash like a thousand suns. The last thing I remember before the dream vanished was my mother's scream.**

Percy didn't say anything, but he pulled Annabeth closer.

**I sat up with a jolt, and ****Mockingjay**** fell to the ground. I had fallen asleep reading again. The morning sunlight peeked through my thin white curtains, a contrast to the dark, earthy shades of my walls and bedspread. I could hear the usual noises of my dad shifting in the living room. (He got up before I did every morning to work on some secret project on his computer that he refused to tell me about.)**

"Hmm," Poseidon mused. "I wonder what you're working on." Percy shrugged in response.

**With a quick glance at my alarm clock, I saw the tiny red LED numbers 10:34 stare back at me. I hopped out of bed and went for my dresser. Reaching in numbly, I grabbed a pine-green t-shirt and a pair of tan, deep-pocket, safari-style Daisy Dukes. Snatching up my shiny black converse on my way out, I headed for the bathroom and got in the shower.**

**With water from my waist-length, chocolate-colored hair dripping down my bare back (except for a bra, of course)**

Apollo opened his mouth to wolf-whistle, but was stopped at the look Percy gave him.

**I brushed it out, dried it (normally I wouldn't bother, but with hair as long as mine, your shirt gets pretty soaked pretty quickly), and pulled it up into my standard ponytail. I slipped on the t-shirt and left the bathroom.**

**Dad was in the living room, working on the last chapter of ****Th1rteen R3asons Why****. (That is a godsdamned depressing book. Thirteen reasons why the main character's first love killed herself. What. The. Heck. And no, the incorporated '13' is **_**not**_** a typo.)**

Leo quickly explained to the confused people around him about the book title, then continued.

"**Hey, Dad!" I called. I checked my watch: 11:13.**

**I opened my mouth to tell him about meeting Steven for coffee, when dad interrupted me, "So what was in that dream of yours, last night?"**

**I immediately thought of denying the dream—it scared me more than I cared to admit—but dad gave me his signature Tell-me-now-or-you'll-go-under-house-arrest-until-you're-twenty look.**

"That must be fairly new," Percy mused.

"It comes with the kid," Poseidon called.

The demigods snickered again, and Percy and Annabeth flushed.

**So instead, I said, "How did you know I was having demigod dreams?"**

"**You talk in your sleep, remember?"**

"So does Percy," Annabeth giggled. "Must be genetic." Percy blushed.

Aphrodite smirked. "How _exactly_ do you know that he talks in his sleep, Annabeth?"

The snickers that had started ended abruptly when Annabeth said, "I've been on four quests with him before, remember?"

**An embarrassing trait that I would have preferred not to inherit from my father. "What did I say?"**

"**Something about your mother and a gold lady with a TV remote and surfing the internet on a magic screen.**

"**Umm," I managed to keep a straight face.**

The people around the hearth didn't try to contain themselves as well. Once Hermes and Apollo got off the floor, Leo continued.

"**The dream was nothing major. If you don't mind, dad, I'd prefer to tell you when I understand it a bit more. I'm still not quite sure about it."**

**Dad's expression was hard to read. That was something that I didn't like about my dad's godly parentage. He was about as emotional as the ocean. Strong and powerful, yes. But ever-changing too. One minute he could be like the calm before the storm; the next, he's a powerful torrent of a hurricane. But, on most days he was almost _mysterious_; exceedingly difficult to read.**

Percy shifted uncomfortably. "Am I really like that?"

"Yes," came the chorused reply.

"**Fine," dad finally answered. "But when you get back you're telling me, alright?"**

"**What makes you think I'm going somewhere?"**

"**Why else would you grab your wallet? I'm pretty sure there's not a frozen yogurt shop in the closet."**

Several snickered.

**I stuck my tongue out at him "Fine, you win. I'm going to meet Steven for coffee. Happy?"**

**He smirked teasingly, "Very." Then his expression sobered, and he said, "Try to be careful, alright? Don't do anything stupid."**

"Yes, daddy," Nico, said in a voice that he guessed was Alix's. Percy glared at him.

"Shutting up," a pale-faced son of Hades muttered.

**I smiled reassuringly, "Dad, I think I can handle myself if Steven tries anything."**

"**It's not Steven I'm worried about."**

"**Then monsters?" I asked. "Dad, I won't do anything stupid. Besides, if I **_**do**_** run into anything, I can handle myself. My dad's Percy Jackson, remember?"**

**If anything, that last sentence made my dad's frown grow. "That's what I'm worried about."**

Percy grimaced. "Stupidity. Recklessness. Attraction to monsters. I don't blame the future me for thinking that."

The atmosphere in the room grew sober, and no one answered.

**Before I could ask him what he meant by that, he stood up and left for the hallway. His expression told me that he wasn't finished, so I waited. When he finally got back, he had a bundle of gray-blue fabric in his hand.**

Percy and Annabeth sat up straight.

"Is that what I think it is?" Percy asked.

"**Here," he held the fabric out to me. "Something tells me that you're going to need this."**

"**Something tells you? What's that supposed to mean?"**

"**In my lifetime, I've learned to listen to my instincts. It's gotten me out of several scrapes in the past." He picked up my hand and set the fabric in it. "Your mother told me to give this to you when all of this started… before she… left."**

**That sent a jolt of electricity running through me. Mom? But dad **_**never**_** mentioned mom! This **_**had**_** to be serious. "What do you mean, 'when all of this started'?"**

**He didn't answer at first, and stared out the window. "She's finally awakening," he mumbled, so quiet that I had to strain to hear. "That **_**has**_** to be it."**

Percy shrugged at the questioning glances. "I was probably there when that mystery woman came."

"You know," Annabeth wondered aloud. "It's possible that Alix said more in her sleep than you're letting on." _**(A.N. That's EXCACTLY what's happening!)**_

"**What? Who's awakening? What's 'it'?"**

**He ignored me. (Wow. Thanks dad.)**

"You're welcome!"

"**If something attacks you, go ahead and use it. I'm sure you can figure out plenty of ways to do so."**

"**Use what?" When he didn't answer, I glanced down at the fabric.**

**No.**

**Not fabric.**

**It was a hat.**

Annabeth smirked, reaching into her pocket to feel the familiar fabric. "Yup. It _is_ what you think it is, Percy."

**An old, tattered Yankees baseball cap. It looked like it had gone to the Underworld and back again. (It wasn't until **_**much **_**later when I discovered how **_**true**_** that statement is.)**

Annabeth, Percy, and Grover snorted in agreement.

"**What am I supposed to do with it?" I asked. For a moment I was afraid that my dad had gone completely loony. "Play baseball with the monsters?"**

"Yes," Percy said sarcastically. "Make sure you get _plenty_ of home-runs!"

**Dad pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. "I guess you can try that, though it would be much simpler to use it the way it's supposed to be used."**

"**Which is **_**how**_**?"**

"**Come on, Alix! You've got your mom's intelligence. Think! What does a person use a hat for?"**

**I felt confused, but I put it on. Instantly, my dad's gaze lost focus.**

"**Um, dad?" I asked. "Are you spacing out or something?"**

**Dad sighed in exasperation. "Take a look at your hands, Alix."**

**I did. Or, I **_**didn't**_**, I guess. Because they weren't there.**

"**Awesome!" I said. "Does it work for anything you touch?"**

**Dad rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall, staring at approximately where my eyes were. He was probably guessing based off of what he heard. Like Marco Polo, except without water, and no matter how open my dad's eyes were… I was pretty sure he wouldn't see me. "If it **_**didn't**_**, then I'd be looking at floating clothes right now, wouldn't I?"**

Several members of the group snickered at the mental image. (*cough* Hermes *cough* Apollo *cough* Leo *cough*)

"**So can you touch somebody and they turn invisible, too?"**

**His brow furrowed, the way it did when he was trying to think of something. "No. Your mom tackled me under a volcano once while wearing it. I stayed in plain sight the whole time." His face—much to my surprise—had taken on a light-pink coloration when he mentioned the volcano. I wondered what had happened there that he wasn't telling me.**

That was exactly what those who were staring at Percy and Annabeth's bright red faces were wondering as well.

**After a few more seconds, dad reached forward and took the hat off. I guessed that he'd probably had experience with taking it off of somebody, since it was mom's. "You'd better get going. But promise me that you'll come straight here if anything attacks you and starts spouting strange things."**

"What strange things?" Frank asked.

"**But that's what you're doing. Should I leave and then run back in?"**

Percy stuck his tongue out at the book, and those around him erupted in laughter.

"**Ha, ha. No, that's not the kind of strange things I meant."**

"**Then what did you mean?"**

**He put a finger to his lips. "Hopefully, I won't have to tell you. Then again, I've never been the luckiest guy around… You'll know what 'strange' is when you hear it."**

**I tried to pry more out of him, but he was just as stubborn as I was, if not more. Finally, for fear of being late, I left.**

Percy smirked victoriously at having won: "Who's More Stubborn."

**The last thing I saw before I closed the door was my dad staring out the window, a distant look in his eyes. He looked like he was back as a sixteen year old, battling to save the world over and over again.**

**It didn't look like an exciting career, and I wasn't looking forward to when I'd have to take over the family business.**

**Unfortunately for me, it looked like that day was fast approaching, and there was nothing I could do to stop it…**

Percy sighed. "Sadly, it's true."

Leo passed the book to the next person in the circle: Jason.

Jason opened the book to the right page and read, "**Steven IV**"

**Five comments and I'll update!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	6. Strongly Worded Complaint: Please Read!

Okay guys. Before you click that button and move on to the next chapter, let's get something straight.

I have lost count of how many people have yelled at me (cybernetically, of course) for pairing up Piper and Leo. Now, I've been kind to y'all all through my time on this website. But I wasn't kidding when I said that I was similar to Alix. Like her, I have a VERY short temper.

And I've had it.

Have you guys ever heard of a little something called EACH TO THEIR OWN?

Well, I'm pulling it out now. It is my _**personal opinion**_ that Piper and Leo mess with each other like a best friend would. I've always thought that a person should fall in love with their best friend, because they're the person that makes you the happiest.

Again.

_**Personal opinion.**_

If you don't like the pairings, then you can do one of two things:

1: Shut up and read, and keep your snarky comments to yourself.

2: Scroll your mouse icon up to the upper-left corner of the window. There should be a tiny button there that is commonly known as the BACK button. Click it.

Okay. Now that I've got that out of my system: ON WITH THE STORY!

**P.S. I'm going to reveal the name of the story that Percy, his friends, and the gods are reading in the next couple chapters. And the next chapter should be where the action starts. KEEP READING!**


	7. Steven IV

**Hey guys.**

**I'm so sorry, but my parents didn't know about my account before, and they're really mad now.  
**

**There is a chance that they'll make me get rid of my account here. And that means that I won't be able to finish any of my stories.  
**

**I guess it all depends.  
**

**So this chapter might be my last. Sorry.  
**

**Disclaimer: Nope.  
**

"**Steven IV**"

Jason was just about to continue, when a resounding crash echoed from behind Poseidon's throne. All eyes turned to face the source of the noise.

"Who's there?" Zeus thundered. He stood up and grew to thirty feet, raising his bolt menacingly.

From behind the throne peaked out a tiny hand, followed by a tiny face, followed by a tiny body.

It was a little girl. No more than six. With long brown hair down to her shoulders, and intelligent sea green eyes. She crept timidly towards the group, her terrified eyes fixed on the enormous sky god.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Zeus thundered again. The little girl shrank back in fear.

"Zeus, stop," Percy interjected. "You're scaring her."

The sky god growled in anger, but he shrank down to human size, still glaring at the little girl. "I ask again," he muttered, trying to control his temper. "Who are you?"

Instead of answering, the little girl ran and threw her trembling arms around Percy's neck, burying her face in his shirt. Percy blinked down at her in surprise, but he didn't complain. In fact, some strange feeling deep in the pit of his stomach made him feel especially protective of the child. He slid his arms comfortingly around her, and whispered something reassuring in her ear. She visibly relaxed.

"Now," Percy said in a normal voice. "Why don't you sit up and tell us your name?"

The little girl slowly sat up, and said so softly towards Percy's t-shirt that everyone else had to strain to hear.

"Alix Jackson," she whispered. "Daughter of Percy and Annabeth Jackson."

After several minutes of explanations, Alix nodded and sat down in Percy's lap, refusing to get up.

"If he's really my daddy," she repeated stubbornly over and over. "Then I'm not moving." To prove her point, she wrapped her arms around her "daddy" and glared around her.

"Just read, Jason," Percy chuckled. He smiled amusedly down at his daughter. "If she's as stubborn as she's been throughout the book, I doubt that there's anything we can do to move her." From the warmth in his voice, the others guessed that he was _perfectly fine_ with this arrangement, so Jason continued to read.

**Alix sat down across from me and lightly picked up the fruit smoothie in front of her. I had been waiting for her for ten minutes in the coffee shop. I guessed that she was a little distracted, because she kept staring out the window, and her fingers kept drumming on the tabletop. Her hand kept drifting towards her pocket, then she'd blink and snatch it back.**

"**You're late," I said to break the tension.**

"Um," Percy chuckled. "I don't think that'll break any tension."

**She huffed. "I'm not late. Everyone else in the universe is early."**

"That's a great way to put it!" Leo chuckled. "Mind if I use that?"

**She turned to glare at me, her sea green eyes flashing defiantly.**

**I noticed her fingering her guitar necklace.**

"I wonder if that necklace is connected to Annabeth," Piper mused.

**I nodded towards it. "So where did you get that?"**

**Alix glanced down in surprise, like she hadn't realized that she'd been fiddling with it. Her eyes took on a faraway look. "I'd rather not say anything…"**

"**Does it have anything to do with your mom?"**

Annabeth shook her head. "Bad subject. Don't mention me when Percy isn't around to protect you."

Alix and Percy snickered at the thought of kicking this boy's butt.

**Alix scowled at me. "What makes you say that?"**

"**You always have that expression on your face when you're missing her."**

**She huffed, turning away. "I don't miss my mom. I don't even **_**care**_** that she's gone.**

Annabeth visibly flinched, and Percy slid closer to her.

**She left us to live on our own. She's better off where she is." She glared down at her smoothie like she'd like to pour it on my head. But when she spoke again, her voice was laced with pain and betrayal. "My mom wasn't there when I needed her most. It was my **_**dad**_** that helped me through high school. And it was my **_**dad**_** that helped me with puberty and hormonally imbalanced cheerleaders.**

Percy wrinkled his nose at the thought of having to help Alix out with puberty.

**Not my mom. My mom was working on the other side of the world. She doesn't care about me." She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.**

Annabeth sighed and turned to Alix. "I'm sorry."

Alix smiled like the child she was. "It's okay, Mommy. It doesn't hurt, see?" She pointed to right about where her heart was. _**(A.N. That's a running joke.)**_

The group chuckled at Alix's innocence.

**I sighed. "Alix, **_**my**_** mom is the best Charmspeaker in centuries. The thing about us charmspeakers, is that we're almost as empathetic as satyrs. You don't mean **_**any**_** of that. You're upset that your mom left you and your dad alone. You want her to come back. You miss her much more than you'll admit even to yourself."**

Piper nodded. "From the context, that's what I'm guessing."

**She scowled at the tabletop. "Well, you must be getting the wrong person's emotions, because it's not true!"**

"**I can charmspeak you to talk if I want to," I threatened.**

**Alix's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. "You wouldn't **_**dare**_**."**

"**I would. Tell me about your mom."**

**You wouldn't expect a girl as hot as Alix to be good at death glares, but she gave me a perfect I'll-Kill-You-Later stare.**

"Yet another thing she inherited from Percy," Annabeth chuckled. Percy blushed.

**I forced myself not to shiver.**

Percy grinned almost evilly. He still didn't like this boy's advances on his daughter, and had his fingers mentally crossed that he would—somehow—fall off of a very large cliff.

**Finally, she sighed, and relaxed, staring sadly down at her necklace. "The night before my thirteenth birthday, my mom told me that she had to go to Italy to oversee a project for at least three years. It wasn't until fairly recently that I learned that she was actually forced to leave by a mysterious woman that I have yet to put name to face for."**

Again, all eyes turned to Annabeth, who shrugged, unknowing.

**I sipped my drink, listening intently to her story. This was something that I was seriously curious about, so I didn't interrupt. All throughout it, I couldn't help noticing how she motioned with her hands as she spoke, or how—when she got extremely emotional over a part—she'd start speaking in an even thicker Tennessee accent. Strangely, I found myself thinking about how cute that was.**

A low, growling noise erupted from the back of Percy's throat.

The others (apart from Alix) snickered with amusement at Percy's obviously fierce protectiveness towards his daughter.

"**The morning of my birthday," Alix continued. "I woke up without my parents knowing. I headed down the hall, but stopped just out of my parents' line of sight at the sound of my dad's voice, muffled slightly.**

"'—**is stupid,' he was saying. 'Why should you have to go on **_**her**_** orders?'**

"Who's orders?" Athena asked. Percy just shrugged.

"**I peeked out around the corner to see my dad sitting cross-legged on the couch with his back to the point where the back and the arm of the sofa met. My mom sat calmly in his lap, with his arms tightly around her waist, like he was afraid that she'd disappear if he let go. His face was buried in her neck, which explained why his voice was muffled. She leaned back into him as she fiddled with his ring.**

Aphrodite gave a small squeal at this mental image.

Percy absently rubbed his finger where a ring would be, once again considering what it would be like to marry Annabeth. He had to admit, it sounded pretty good.

Annabeth slid closer to Percy and rested her head on his shoulder.

Alix just giggled like a toddler.

"'**Because,' my mom answered, 'she knows that you can't defeat her without strategy.'**

"'**And you're the best strategist at Camp HalfBlood,' my dad guessed, looking up slightly. 'Not having you would be an extreme blow if this were to come to war.'**

"**My mom nodded. 'Exactly.' She turned around slightly so she could look my dad in the eye. 'What's the old saying? "Divide and concur?"'**

"**My dad pressed his fingers to my mom's cheek, rested his forehead against hers, and sighed through his nose. '**_**Three years**_**,' he whispered. 'I went to Camp Jupiter for **_**six months**_**.'**

Percy copied his book-self's sigh. Annabeth laced her fingers reassuringly through his.

"**My mom brushed a stray lock of hair out of his eyes and kissed his nose. 'Aren't you the one who's always telling me how it'll be okay, and that we'll figure it out?'**

"**My dad sighed. 'Just don't get hurt, okay? I'm not sure what I'd do then.'**

"**My mom smiled. 'You got it, Seaweed Brain.' Then she kissed him.**

Aphrodite tried not to smile, and failed miserably.

"**I left after that. I had never liked watching my parents showing affection for each other. It was awkward for me."**

"**Um…" I spoke up for the first time since Alix had started. "Wouldn't you rather have your parents together and kissing than separated and miserable?"**

Several snickered at the irony.

"**I said that I **_**had**_** never liked it. I didn't say **_**anything**_** about now."**

"Well _she's_ got a retort for everything," Hermes chuckled. "I like her. She'd make a good thief."

"…No..." was all Percy said.

**I nodded and sipped my smoothie, motioning for her to continue.**

"**Anyways," she said. "Later that afternoon, the taxi finally arrived to take my mom to the airport. I remember trying not to cry, telling her over and over again to take lots of pictures, because I always wanted to see Italy in person." Alix's eyes became a little dreamy. "The beauty and the history in such an amazing country…"**

Percy tried not to laugh, but failed. "She sounds like Annabeth and architecture."

Annabeth stuck her tongue out at Percy, much to the hysterics of the others.

"**Alix," I pressed. "Your mom?"**

**She blinked at me as if I'd just fallen from outer space, then her vision cleared. "Oh yeah!"**

Percy snorted again.

**I sighed and shook my head. Descendants of Athena and their history… It all gave me a headache.**

All of those who knew Athena and Annabeth nodded insistently in agreement.

"**Right… so… um… Oh yeah," Alix continued. "So my mom made a dozen promises that she would take as many pictures as possible, then she handed me a small, cream-colored box, saying it was my birthday present. I promised not to open it until 4:26, and she turned to my dad."**

"4:26?" Thalia asked.

"**Wait," I interrupted. "Why 4:26?"**

"**It's a running joke that we had, that we would only open our gifts at the exact time that we were born. I was born at 4:26."**

Thalia nodded in understanding.

"**Ah. Okay. Continue, please."**

**Alix nodded. "My dad was expressionless, but my mom and I both know that that's when he's the most upset about something.**

Annabeth nodded in agreement, and Percy blushed.

**He laced his fingers through hers and kissed her quickly and softly, the kiss clearly displaying how much he was going to miss her."**

"So, a lot," Percy whispered, but everyone heard him, and gave him and Annabeth sympathetic looks.

"**How much?" I asked.**

"**More than you could ever imagine."**

Percy nodded, and wrapped his free arm around Annabeth's waist, resting his head on hers.

**I didn't reply to that one.**

"**I considered making some wisecrack about them kissing, but I could see how much they needed this. It would calm my dad down slightly, at least.**

Percy looked up and stuck his tongue out at the book, making everyone else laugh. Well, almost everyone. Alix just giggled like a child.

"**When they finally—and rather reluctantly—pulled apart, I barely heard my mom whisper, 'You sure you'll be okay without me, Seaweed Brain?**

"**My dad didn't answer, but he brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear, shaking his head slowly. My mom gave me one last hug, kissed my dad again, and left.**

Percy's grip on Annabeth unconsciously tightened.

"**I remember sitting on the porch for hours after that, staring at the spot where I saw her last. The sun was shining like crazy, and I remember thinking that it should have been pouring down to match the mood of the house. Finally, my dad came outside and practically dragged me in.**

Annabeth gave a sad smile. "Well, at least _someone_ left behind was acting rational…"

"**I sat on my bed, opening my laptop to type something. I always write when I'm upset. But nothing came to mind, so I just sat there staring at a blank screen.**

It wasn't until Percy noticed the stares that he realized that he was running his fingers comfortingly through Alix's hair.

"**By the time 4:26 rolled around, I was bored out of my mind, and more melancholy than I had ever been. I didn't really want to look at something that reminded me of my mom, but I had made a promise to her. So I opened the box."**

"It was the necklace," Annabeth guessed. "It has to be."

**Alix reached up and fingered the guitar necklace. It had flipped over, so instead of a black guitar with silver flames, I saw lyrics to that song by the band, Alabama. **_**SWEET HOME ALABAMA. WHERE THE SKIES ARE SO BLUE.**_

"Yup! It was the necklace!" Annabeth chuckled half-heartedly. She wasn't really liking this chapter.

"**I had always loved Alabama." Alix's voice had trailed down to nearly a whisper. "So I loved the necklace. I picked up the note that came with it, read it, and it's been in my wallet ever since." She pulled her wallet out of her pocket, removed an old and tattered folded piece of paper, and handed it to me. On the note were three simple words, written in pen in a small, neat script.**

_**I'll come back.**_

Annabeth nodded in agreement with her note. "I promise," she added in a whisper.

**I smiled sympathetically, and handed Alix the note. She carefully folded it back up and slipped it reverently back into her wallet.**

**I watched her as she did. She seemed upset at having to remember what was probably the worst birthday in history, but—deep in her sea green eyes that always seemed so much like the tide: pulling me in while pushing me away—I saw no regret.**

Annabeth glanced over at her daughter, who was playing with Percy's fingers, asking him quietly where his ring was. Percy's eyes were twinkling with amusement as he explained how he didn't have one yet.

Annabeth couldn't stop a small smile.

They would be okay without her.

She was sure of it.

**She glanced back up at me, and held my gaze with a searching one of her own. Suddenly, she froze.**

"**What's wrong?" I asked.**

**But she wasn't looking at me. She was staring at a spot just over my shoulder. I turned around to see a woman in dire need of Slim Fast towing seven small basset hounds.**

The group snorted at this description.

**The weird thing was, all eight of them were staring right at us.**

"**We need to go," Alix hissed under her breath.**

"**What?"**

"**Now!"**

**She stood up abruptly, grabbed my hand, and dragged me towards the door, right past the woman. As we passed her, she smiled leeringly at me, her forked tongue whipping a small puff of air my way. It stunk of reptile.**

Percy gasped, recognizing the monster from his own experiences. He stared worriedly down at his daughter. "How are you going to get out of this one?"

All other eyes turned to Percy for an explanation, but he shook his head.

**Wait…**

**Forked tongue?**

**How did Alix know?**

"That's actually what _I_ want to know…" Athena wondered aloud.

**I picked up speed until Alix and I were running side by side, her dragging me—possibly unconsciously—towards my dad's auto shop.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Jason said, passing the book to Reyna.

Reyna took it and began to read quickly, just as worried about the demigods as the others.

"**Alix V**"

**Well, just in case:**

**This is AtlantaJackson95, signing off for the last time.  
**

**Bye...  
**


	8. There' Something you ought to know

****Hey guys!

so I was checking out this story the other day, and I realized: compared to even the most boring essays I write at school, this story is SHIT!

I have the plot line lined out, all the way to the very end, but the first couple chapters are spastic and vague.

So guess who's doing a rewrite!

I'll probably include a bit more of Alix's school outcastation. Maybe a bit on her old relationship with Annabeth. Probably a couple father/daughter memories as well.

So basically, I'm going to fix my carppy writing before I write to many chapters and make it shittier.

**For those of you who do not believe that my writing for this story is shit, here is a bit of proof. I wrote this in about twenty minutes of my own time last night. I need suggestions for it anyways, and it's only the prologue and half of the first chapter, but please look it over.**

* * *

**Basically, it's about this seventeen year old girl named Andrea "Andi" Noel (Noel. Get it?) that has weird dreams and visions that come true. She's mute, meaning that she can hear, but she can't speak, and it's called selective trauma mutism, because she's been mute and amnesiac ever since her seventh birthday when her parents died by mysterious circumstances.**

**She lives with her foster parents, and has a best friend named Hunter that she's known ever since she moved next-door to him when she was seven and adopted and he was the only one to treat her like she was simply speaking a different language, instead of retarded. He's an artist. Pencil sketching is his passion, and he's good at it.  
**

**Andi is a writer. The first chapter, the one about the girl named Xandra: Andi's writing a book about her. But curiously, Andi will find out later on in the book that Xandra was a real person, and that everything that Andi wrote down for her to do actually happened to the real girl.  
**

**Oh. And this story is based off of Wiccan theology. Andi is Xandra's descendant, and the last of her very powerful bloodline. I made it so that the Wicca are an actual race of people, sorta like demigods versus humans. They're the ones responsible for witches and vampires and such, but they all but died out during the Salem Witch trials. That's actually when the prologue is taking place, is during Witch Trials.  
**

**Okay. Background and basics done. Witness how much BETTER this is than Graecus Hollywood Arts and I'm in Love with My Best Friend!  
**

**Oh. And remember. This is my first draft. So this is also pretty shitty.  
**

**The Last Noel:**

**Prologue:**

We don't have much time.

As I write out these last words, I can hear a banging at my door. They've come for me. My time is over.

But yours might just yet be beginning.

I am a part of a secret society of our kind. We have dedicated our lives to preserving our way of life. Or more precisely, I have. For the others are all dead.

I can guess that you know what I am speaking of. For if you didn't, you would have never known to look in the hiding place I am about to stow this bit of parchment in. If you didn't, you would not be reading my words.

They're beating on my walls, now. I can hear them screaming. They think I'm a witch. A vampire. Oh, if only. Humans can be so ignorant.

And so fearful. And fear drives a common man to insanity. As it has done to these people.

To whomever reads this letter: I am enclosing the prophecy that started all of this destruction. I pray that a member of our race has escaped to pass on the bloodline. Otherwise, we are truly doomed.

You had better hope that you're ready.

Gabriellan, Scribe and last of the Brothers of -

**Chapter One:**

Larch was a poor carpenter of the Nation of the Fire-Eaters. When his wife died in childbirth, he was truly surprised that he did not collapse in despair. Perhaps it was the fact that his new daughter needed a father or she would die. Perhaps it was the deep green eyes of the child-focused so early-that matched his late bride's so well.

From the moment he named her after her mother, Xandra, he was captured by the child's charms. When she was barely old enough to walk, he brought her into the woods on the outskirts of the small city that they lived in, and taught her the ways of the wild. By age three, she knew how to hunt and fish and fight as well as any boy twice her age.

Even at such a young age, Xandra was unusual. She was born on the night of the blue moon, and it was said that all children born on that rare day were extraordinary. Each were given a gift by the blessed moon-one that would shape the very foundations of their destiny.

Because of her strange birth, Xandra was treated differently by those around her. The men and women gave her sour looks, and she was blamed for everything negative that happened around her. The children were warned by their parents to keep their distance, and being as cruel as children often are, they outcasted her. They jeered and hollered and threw mud as she passed by. And whenever she tried to fight back, the boys and girls went to adults and claimed that she was injuring them for no reason at all. And who were they to believe? A small, innocent child? Or the blue moon freak?

Xandra quickly grew accustomed to taking the blame and the punishment. The only thing that could tarnish her spirit was when elders came to her father and complained. She could stand a lot of things. But never that sad, disappointed expression that he would give her.

"Little kitten," he'd sigh, "you promised me that you would try to do better."

Whenever she received that look, Xandra would sneak out of her bed while her father was asleep, and run for the forest. There, she would wander. Farther and farther each night. She never got lost-she always seemed to know where she was-and she never returned home after her father had woken.

As she grew older, her nighttime wanderings would grow longer and more frequent. Her father never found out, and she was glad of that. Though she felt it was a little selfish, she wanted at least one thing about herself that no one knew. The city watched her every physical move. Her father had learned every little mental thing about her. The only side to her that was her own were her emotions. For she never cried, she never yelled, and she never laughed.

But when she entered the woods, she smiled and laughed and danced to her heart's content. All of her cares and worries vanished in the soft moonlight.

She had a special place as well. A small cliff face that she had found when she was six that, when climbed down, opened to a small tunnel. This tunnel led to a small alcove surrounded by unclimbable rock on all sides, with a spring and a pool of water and a little cave. It was hers and hers alone. The one place in Drekka where she could be hers and hers alone.

Years passed. By her fifteenth birthday, Xandra had become nearly nonexistent in the city. The townspeople didn't care-they believed that the world was better off without her. Her father didn't care-he was too busy in his shop trying to make ends meet to notice that anything was wrong.

Only one person in the village seemed to take an interest in her.

Markal of the Nation of the Ice Warriors to the north had been Larch's apprentice for a year. Each morning, he woke up before her, and greeted her friendlily. Each evening, he wished her sweet dreams. Xandra never understood the boy. He made her nervous, seeing as he was the only person in the entire Kingdom of Drekka who actually paid her any attention. She was unused to attention. It scared her, and it also amused her. She just couldn't decide.

Her soul must have decided for her, because it was a particularly warm morning when, as she tried to decide whether or not the game was out and about enough to hunt, she replied to Markal's greeting with one of her own.

It wasn't until Xandra was halfway through the apple that she had snagged afterwards that she finally realized why Markal was smiling.

She became determined to spend less time with the boy.

**In case you're wondering, they're actually the main characters' previous reincarnations. Xandra is Andi, and her father will die at the hands of a known outlaw, which will cause Xandra to decide to become a bounty hunter and assassin-for-hire. Markal is Hunter, but I haven't actually introduced his relationship with Xandra yet. I've merely introduced the character.**


	9. Revised Story Notice!

**Hey guys! So after life, school, college, swim team, debate team, volunteering, and mostly BOY TROUBLES *rubs temples* I've been too preoccupied to update. But don't think that means I haven't been WORKING on these stories. ESPECIALLY this one!  
**

**This story has been so completely redone to fix my mistakes and add in that crucial part of the story that I forgot to add when writing the first time, that it has been expanded into FIVE BOOKS! The main part I added was a specific part that explained some specific turmoil in Alix and Percy. Yes, I said Percy. He WILL play a MAJOR part in the story. Not simply participating in reading the books at seventeen. The old and new generations banding together will be a big part of the books. Who better to lead the old generation than the greatest demigod in history himself? ;) And as for who will be leading the newest generation... well... let's have YOU guess that. So I can see who's paying attention. And even if you get it wrong, you'll get a preview from the fourth book (of course if you DO get it right, the preview will be longer). The character has been seen so far, so I know you CAN get it.  
**

**I know you guys still want a preview though. So I listed the titles of each book. And y'all can send your guesses on the reasons for the titles in a review. Get something right, and you'll get a preview of the FIRST book. ;) haha**

**Descendants of Heroes—Storyline**

Book One—The First Legacy

Book Two—The Mare Nostrum

Book Three—The Fire of Maris

Book Four—The Descent to Oblivion

Book Five—The Last Light

**Long story short: I'M BACK BABY! :D :D :D :D**


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